


Rivals

by jessie_cristo



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Alternate Universe - Werewolves, Cheerleader Jared, Explicit Later, First Meetings, Fluff, Jealous Jensen, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-09-23 01:34:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 48,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9634910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessie_cristo/pseuds/jessie_cristo
Summary: Omegas are rare and vastly treasured by most, if not all Weres in civilized society.Omega Jared ruled Lebanon High with a flirtatious, fun-loving personality. He was a good student, loved his friends and family and liked being the most popular kid in school. He never intentionally abused others fascination with him, but deep down, he enjoyed watching people stumble over themselves to impress him. Jared's life was perfect and there was no reason his Junior year would be any different.But then Alpha Jensen transfers to Lebanon HIgh. He's 17, charming as hell, with adorable freckles, gorgeous green eyes and walked around like he was sex incarnate on bowed legs... Weres who once fawned over Jared now followed Jensen around - and that, Jared decided, just wouldn't do.1, 2, 3, 4... I declare, is this a War?





	1. "Darlin... you've just met your match."

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [J vs J - Rivals](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12540460) by [Ainis_Adr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ainis_Adr/pseuds/Ainis_Adr)



> I've always wanted to write a High School AU and an ABO AU.... so I thought why not do both in one fic? This was supposed to be a one-shot, but once again the story ran away with me.  
> This is completely unbeta'd, so any mistakes are completely mine. Also, even if Lebanon, KS is a real place, my description of it is almost completely made up.

“I’m telling you, he’s too pretty to be an Alpha!”

“Who says all Alphas have to be mountain men? I’m sure there are tons of pretty Alphas all over the world. We’re just cursed to live in this dinky little town where, let’s face it, lacks a variety of Alphas to choose from.”

“Tom and Stephen are gorgeous and kinda pretty… and they’re both Alphas.”

“Tom is a narcissistic ass, and Stephen is all about Jared – just like every other Alpha around here. Besides, if this one is an Alpha, he’d put both Stephen and Tom to shame. This guy is fuckin’ beautiful, and I’ll die if he’s not an Alpha!”

“It’s not that I don’t want him to be an Alpha – I mean, Goddess look at him! I really, really want him to be an Alpha.”

“Tell me about it. Look at that ass! And those bowlegs are sexy as fuck!”

Jensen nearly choked on the soda he’d just taken a sip from, at the mention of his legs. When the two unknown kids had started talking, he hadn’t been sure if they were talking about him, but at the mention of ‘bowlegs’ he was pretty damn sure they were now.  
–What was it with people and their fascination with his lips and his legs?-.

When he’d driven himself to his new school that morning, he’d noticed an odd sound coming from the engine of his black 1967 Chevy Impala. A gift from his Dad for his 17th birthday last year. With still 45 minutes to go until the first bell, he’d decided to pop the hood and see if he could find the problem.

He’d heard other kids talking about him as they passed, speculating as to who he was, where he’d come from, if he was taken, and now these two characters behind him. The two had been trying to talk quietly, and failing miserably at it, were the only ones to actually stop and just keep staring at him. He’d caught a glimpse of them from under his arm as he was about to straighten up and grab the open can of soda he’d put to the side, and he’d nearly laughed at how they were staring at him like moonstruck calves. Deciding to wait them out and see if either of them would have the nerve to approach him, Jensen decided to continue playing ignorance to their presence.

One was a male with longish black hair and piercing blue eyes. The other a female with beautiful dark red hair and brown eyes. The both of them, obviously Betas. They were both also quite attractive and Jensen really wouldn’t mind hooking up with either or even the both of them at the same time. It’d been a while since he’d had a threesome, and Jensen really wouldn’t mind giving these two the ride of their lives.

He finally heard a scuffling of shoes behind him, and the confident, sexy smile that had literally charmed the pants off both males and females almost from the moment he’d turned 14 and popped his knot, lit his face as he slammed the hood of his car down and then turned to face them, soda can in hand.

Freezing in place about 5 feet away from Jensen, the two Betas just stared at him, mouths agape, eyes round and blinking owlishly.

Jensen bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing at them. They were just too adorable for words. Too bad they weren’t his type, but maybe he could have some fun with them later.

“Hi… I’m Jensen. I’m new here. I am an Alpha and I never really thought bowlegs were all that sexy, but thanks.”

Jensen chuckled softly as the redhead’s face flamed nearly as bright as her hair.

“What’re your names, and if you’re looking to be ‘friend’s…” he paused to give the word emphasis. “I could be into that.”

The boy got a hold of himself first, clearing his throat and swallowing nervously. He held out a hand to Jensen. “Ch…Christian.” He croaked out as Jensen took his hand and shook it, warmly.

“Actually, no… not really into the whole religion thing, other than Luna.”

“No!” the smaller boy laughed. “My name is Christian, or just Chris – big eyes to my left is Danneel.”

“You can call me Dani.” The redhead said, snapping out of her daze and holding out her hand to shake Jensen’s. “Or you can pretty much call me any time.”

Jensen grinned at her forthright attitude. Already thinking he might really end up liking Chris and Dani.

“Nice meeting you both.” Jensen said, as he leaned down to snatch up his black backpack off the ground where he’d dropped it earlier. “Any chance you can show me where the Main Office is?”

“You haven’t checked in, yet?” asked Dani, to which Jensen just shook his head in answer.

“No, not yet.” Jensen answered, as Chris and Dani fell in on either side of him and led him towards the main doors of the school.

Ten feet from the door, a group of 6 or more students cut in front of them from the side. Chris and Dani instantly stopped to let them pass, one of the bigger guys even clipping Chris on the shoulder roughly as he walked by. Jensen frowned.

“Hey, why don’t you watch where you’re going?” he growled.

Chris and Dani tried to shush him, but he brushed them off gently, even as the rude lummox and his group turned to face Jensen and his new friends.

“Excuse me?!” The big ox snarled, face reddening fast as he stepped up to Jensen.

“You’re excused, big boy. Next time, watch where you’re going.”

Just as the meathead was about to pull an anvil sized fist back, a deep, smooth voice called out from the group behind him. “Douglas, stop.” The voice froze the brute in place and sent a shiver down Jensen’s spine.

The group parted to let a tall vision dressed in the school colors of red and black through. Jensen had to firm his jaw to prevent it from hitting the ground as the most beautiful boy Jensen had ever seen stepped through to stand beside the mountain of muscle; one large, yet delicate hand coming to rest on heavily muscled shoulder of the bully, bringing his clenched fist down. He tossed his head slightly to get the shiny waves of shoulder-length chestnut hair out of his eyes.

“Hi there, I’m Jared…” he said to Jensen, in that smooth whiskey voice. He then turned his gaze on the meathead that had started all the trouble. “Dougie… what’s going on here?”

“Chrissy Boy got in my way and Pretty Lips over here was talking trash.”

“That’s a lie…!” Dani started, her mouth snapping shut when Doug turned his gimlet glare on her.

“How would you know, Ginger Snatch?!” he spat at her.

Before he could stop himself, Jensen shoved Doug away from Dani. No one would know it to look at him, but Jensen was nothing but hard, compact muscle hidden under his beaten up jeans, faded Metallica tee and patched over leather jacket. Doug stumbled back quite a ways onto the grass just off the paved path. Jensen following after.

“Watch how you talk to the lady, pup!” Jensen snarled at the younger, yet larger boy. His wolf rising in him to make his canines grow and his eyes glow a brighter green.

From the corner of his eye he saw Jared holding back the rest of his gang by holding up one graceful hand. His other hand resting on his canted hip, looking like the hottest beauty queen ever made with legs that went on forever. “Stay out of it, this is Dougie’s mistake, therefore his fight.” Jared said, in an exasperated tone.

Jensen was so caught up in admiring the Omega, he nearly got sucker punched by one of Dougie’s massive fists. His wolf warned him in time though, and Jensen was able to easily duck the wild blow. He came up with a solid fist to the soft side of the bigger man’s abdomen, forcing a loud ‘OOF!’ out of him as the air was driven from his lungs. Jensen followed up with a perfect roundhouse punch with his other fist to Doug’s jaw, the mammoth boy dropping to the grass, out cold.

With the exception of Jared’s group, everyone who’d stopped to watch the drama unfold began cheering and shouting approval. Chris and Dani ran up to Jensen and began hugging and pounding his back in approval.

Over their heads, Jensen watched as Jared and his followers rushed to Doug’s side. Jared dropping to his knees in the grass to gently pat the unconscious boy’s cheek. Bent over like that with his back arched made Jared’s red and black short shorts ride higher, molding to what had to be the most perfect ass Jensen had ever seen – firm-looking, curvy and oh-so-bitable. Jensen could feel his dick twitch in his pants, his still agitated inner wolf pausing to growl appreciatively at the sight of Jared.

As soon as Doug began coming around, Jared rose to his feet and brushed his knees off with both hands. Straightening up to his full height, he turned what Jensen could now see were a beautiful blend of hazel eyes on Jensen. Blue-green with shots of golden brown in them.

He began walking toward Jensen, a slight sweet sway to his hips. The crowd that had gathered around Jensen parted to let him through. As he got closer, Jensen could pick up the subtle sweet scent of Omega and… -what was that? Honey?- Jensen’s wolf was now posturing inside him. Legs stiff, chest out and nose high as it preened for the Omega’s wolf. Jared’s lips quirked into a slight, smug smile as he sensed Jensen’s wolf. His gait more confident as he closed the couple more feet that led him to stand right in front of Jensen.

“I’m Jared.” He said, voice a notch deeper. “You’re new, so I’m going to do you a favor and lay it down for you, nice and simple – how things work around here.”

Jensen’s wolf stopped his posturing as a flare of disappointment and irritation rose in Jensen’s mind. He’d been to many schools all over America and in other countries. Being a military brat, he’d had no other choice. But he’d learned at a young age to get used to it and even enjoyed all the traveling in some instances. Thing is, Jensen had seen and experienced every type of power play in high school hierarchies and something was telling him that whatever Jared was going to say next, Jensen wasn’t going to like it.

Ignoring the slight narrowing of Jensen’s malachite gaze, Jared smiled coquettishly up at Jensen as he rested one slim hand on his upper chest. His scent and the blatant invitation in his amazing eyes and bold actions making Jensen’s body stiffen in reaction.

“You see, sugar… I may be only a Junior but this is my school. I own this place, ask anyone here. Even your cute little Beta buddies here will tell you.”

“Oh, really?”

“Even the teachers know it, darlin’.”

Jared’s hand had been rubbing small circles into Jensen’s chest as he spoke. Jensen reached up to calmly grab the slimmer hand in his large, callused one; pulling it off of him and dropping it as soon as Jared was no longer touching him.

“Darlin’…” Jensen took a step back and began to pull off his jacket, one arm at a time. He shot his best seductive smile at Jared, his pulse jumping when Jared visibly swallowed, the younger man panting lightly as Jensen’s Alpha pheromones began to fill the section of yard they were standing in. “You’ve just met your match.”

The other Alphas in the yard instantly dropped their heads lower, knowing the scent of a Head Alpha when they smelled him. Head Alphas were nearly as rare as Omegas and could only be known when the Head Alpha first pops his knot and presents and from then on only when the Head Alpha used his influence to instill dominance. Head Alphas were always more powerful than normal Alphas, and they almost always became leaders of large, influential packs.

Even as all in the immediate vicinity showed obeisance in some way, excited whispers were still flying through the ever growing crowd around Jensen and Jared.

“I don’t believe it! A ‘head alpha’… here!” one girl whispers to her friend right next to her.  
“My cousin in Lawrence will never believe that Lebanon got a Head Alpha first!” her best friend replies.

“We got a young and beautiful Omega and now a Head Alpha, too?! I’ll have to notify the school administrator and the board of education! Both of them in MY school!” the school principal whispers to the football coach beside him, excited.  
“Wait, it was bad enough keeping Padalecki in line. I mean, he’s basically a good boy and all – maybe some skipping of classes and too much phone usage during classes but that’s about it. We’re lucky in that way. But how are we supposed to keep a Head Alpha in check? That one looks like trouble.” Groused the coach.

Meanwhile, Jared and the Betas had turned seductive the moment Jensen’s scent hit them; their bodies loosening, smoothing out as they instinctively presented the sides of their necks towards Jensen.

Jensen, however, only had eyes for Jared. His shining green gaze latching onto the beautiful Omega’s long, unblemished neck. His canines aching with a nearly overpowering urge to bite and claim. He stumbled closer to Jared, his hands reaching for the younger boy.

Just as his fingertips brushed the fabric of Jared’s tight little shorts, Jared gave a broken moan and twisted out of Jensen’s hold. Jensen stared in shock as Jared stumbled further back, holding one hand up to ward off Jensen.

“No!” Jared shouted, voice high with distress, straining to fight his submissive nature. Jared didn’t realize it but he was exhibiting another reason why Omegas were so special. Not only were they rare, Omegas were more fertile and instead of only one or two heats a year like Betas had, Omegas went into heat every month. Also, Betas mostly always only birthed more Betas, and could mate with either Alphas or another Betas. Omegas can only mate with Alphas but are capable of birthing Alphas, Betas or more Omegas. Omegas were almost always strong enough to be leaders too, so though they can submit to their Alphas, they are able to refuse Alpha dominance unlike Betas, who can refuse Omegas but can’t refuse Alphas.

Jared didn’t know all the intricacies to what being an Omega meant. All he knew is that this arrogant, yet admittedly drop-dead gorgeous Alpha thought he could come into HIS school and take over? Shaking his head to free his mind of the last of the compulsion to submit to Jensen, Jared turned to glare back at Jensen once he was far enough away so that the Alpha scent wasn’t so strong.

“I’ve been Queen Bitch in this school for three years in a row.” Jared snarled. “You think you can come in here and take over as King Cock, you got another think coming! Head Alpha or not, you’re going down.”

“Baby, the only thing that’ll be going down is your ass on my King Cock. I’ll not only rule this school, I’ll also have you as MY Queen Bitch - dangling off my dick before the end of the year, darlin’.”

“I will NEVER sleep with you, and you will NEVER take my school!”

“Oh, I don’t just wanna sleep with you, honey. I’m gonna mate you before the year is up. You. Are. Mine. And when you’re mine, the school will be mine, too.””

“Kiss.My.Ass! Get ready for the fight of your life!” Jared hissed, before spinning on his heels and stomping away.

Jensen just smiled as he watched Jared’s plush ass jiggle and bounce with every stomp of his feet. Oh, he was gonna kiss it, alright. Kiss… lick... bite… FUCK! Now he was horny. Damn, that Omega!


	2. “I’ll NEVER be your bitch… BITCH!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I got enough interest so this fic is offcially ON! Was a little shocked at how many found this interesting. So okay, hope it continues to intrigue and satisfy.

Two weeks after the confrontation with Jensen flew by in a blur. Jared had watched with an outer calm as Betas that usually followed him around, began trailing after Jensen. But inside, he was seething.

Thank Luna they didn’t share any classes, but it seemed like their schedules had them crossing paths in the halls quite a few times. And every single time they did, Jensen had Danneel and Chris at his side and a different Beta hanging off his arm every single day. Always a pretty one, too. Male. Female. It didn’t seem to matter to the arrogant, green-eyed slut of an Alpha.

What grated on Jared’s nerves even more was that he couldn’t flaunt conquests of his own in retaliation. Being Omega, Jared knew that he could give himself to only one Alpha, and one Alpha only. Omegas copulated with only the one he planned on mating because Omegas mated for life. Once mated, their souls would be bonded, and even if an Alpha could survive the loss of his Omega, an Omega would wither and die if his Alpha died of natural causes or was killed.

It wasn’t fair, but it was part and parcel of being an Omega, and Jared had known from a young age that he’d never tempt an Alpha he didn’t feel an attraction for. He couldn’t keep them from following him around in hopes of winning his affections, but he could keep from leading them on with false promises. He’d heard of other Omegas who reveled in leading around as many Alphas as they could, but Jared could never be that cruel.

Along with seeing the different Betas hanging off of Jensen’s tall, muscular and beautiful frame, Jared had also heard stories from his friends-slash-informants of Jensen’s many trips to supply closets and bathroom stalls within the school grounds. Praise for the size of his equipment and his skill at using it usually accompanying the stories bandied about.

Jared walked confidently down the hall towards his next class, hips swaying just enough to grab attention, but not so much as to be deemed slutty. Sandy, Chad, Genevieve, Stephen, Tom and Doug in their usual formation around him. Outwardly, he looked as calm and collected as he usually did, but inside, his mind was racing.

Jensen had bragged about making Jared his by the end of the school year, and every one had heard him. Word of it had spread to those who hadn’t. And yet, that dirty dog of an Alpha was running around plugging every Beta hole offered to him! Even if Jared found him enticing, there was no way he’d ever admit it; let alone give in to it. Jared was saving himself for his true mate. And no way in Hell was that philandering fuck toy destined to be his true love. There’s more to a relationship then a great ass, trim waist, broad shoulders and lips that looked so soft and suckable. Wait, did he just think ‘suckable’? His eyes flicked to Jensen just as the older boy bit his lip while staring at Jared, then pulled it slowly out from between his teeth until it popped free, shiny wet and red. –Oh God… don’t get hard, don’t get hard, don’tgethard!-

“Looking good enough to eat, Jared. I like that color on you. When you’re mine, I’ll want you to wear it as much as possible.”

Jared came to a smooth stop and turned a frosty glare on Jensen who was openly admiring Jared’s outfit; consisting of an emerald green v-neck tee, tight dark wash jeans and brown cowgirl boots with their 2 inch heels. His tee was strategically tucked in above his belt buckle which was a black metal square piece that rested right above the bulge in his jeans, with the word ‘BRAT’ stamped into it.

“And what makes you think I’ll ever be yours, let alone tell me what I can or can’t wear?”

“I told you, sweetheart. I want you. And I always get what I want.”

“Looks to me like you ‘want’ a lot, Ackles. But that’s okay. No school would be complete without its cockslut…” he paused to slide his gaze towards Sandy, who only smiled proudly before turning his haughty gaze back to Jensen. “… and its holehound. Congratulations, Ackles. In only two weeks, it seems like you won the second title in record time.”

Jared’s friends began barking and whimpering at Jensen, the green-eyed boy’s eyes darkening with rage. Even as Jared registered the look, it was gone. Replaced by a dark amusement that made Jared’s hands tremble ever so slightly. Fisting his hands, Jared pushed down the gut-deep ache Jensen’s intense stare was evoking within him.

Jensen released the Beta at his side, a Freshman by the looks of him, ignoring the small boy’s pout as he did. Stepping across the hall towards Jared – both Jensen and his inner wolf posturing confidently. Stephen and Tom stepped back, heads down, but Jared raised his chin defiantly; refusing to back down. Meeting Jensen’s stare head on.

Jensen reached up to run a knuckle along Jared’s smooth jaw. That very jaw flexing as Jared clenched his teeth, biting back a moan as a burst of heat settled low in his belly, his own dick twitching interestedly – the traitor – in the confines of his now too-tight jeans.

“Baby, if I’d known how jealous you’d be, I never would’ve taken up with any of them. From now on, my cock belongs to you, and only you.”

He then turned and held up both hands in the air to get everyone’s attention, as if he didn’t already have it.

“Just so everyone knows. The Jensen Ackles Party Bus is now closed. I am from here on out the sole property of my future mate, the beautiful Jared Padalecki.” He turned to grin back at Jared, who had a shocked and astonished look on his face. Mouth slightly agape, eyes blinking owlishly at Jensen. Jared’s friends looking nervously from Jared and then back to Jensen. Obviously, also at a loss as to what to say or do.

Jensen’s friends were laughing uproariously at this point, delighted at the salacious actions of their fearless leader.

Jensen’s smile turned sharp, his eyes narrowing on the lax soft curve of Jared’s pink lips.

“But you should know, darlin’… I’m an Alpha with needs. With wants. If I can’t take my ease elsewhere, I’ll be taking it from you, my bitch.”

Now it was Jensen’s friends who were barking and making all sorts of dog sounds at Jared. Sandy and Genevieve stood on either side of Doug, holding on to an arm, each. They knew that if Doug got into just one more altercation this month then he’d be suspended, and possibly even expelled. He was their friend, he was family and he was pack. Chad, Stephen and tom now looked angry enough to spit nails, their wolves eager to jump Jensen. Jared’s pack always looked out for each other. Jensen glanced at all his boys and with one glance quelled their rage.

Jared turned back to Jensen, mouth twisted into a tight line, cheeks ablaze with a rage he’d never felt before in his entire life, and then despite the warnings to his pack to keep their cool, Jared lost a bit of his own and his hand lashed out before he could stop and think about it. The crack of his palm across Jensen’s cheek was like a gunshot reverberating up and down the suddenly silent hall.

“I will NEVER be your bitch… BITCH!” Jared snarled, stepping up to Jensen, using his natural height and the added height from his boots to tower over Jensen. His hazel eyes staring straight into Jensen’s in a blatant challenge. Flicking briefly to the rapidly reddening hand-shaped print blooming on Jensen’s pale, creamy face. Jensen hadn’t even stumbled when Jared slapped him. His head had turned with the blow, but he’d quickly turned his head back to glare up into Jared’s challenging stare. Green eyes narrowed, the darker green of his eyes shining with a hunger that sent chills down Jared’s spine.

Jensen Wolf’s hackles were raised and it was snarling at Jared Wolf, demanding submission. Jared could feel his wolf’s miserable confusion. His wolf wanted Jensen. He was a strong, virile mate. Being a Head Alpha just made him even more appealing. Jared Wolf just couldn’t understand Jared’s anger and reluctance to join with the green-eyed boy. But even as he questioned Jared’s actions, his wolf trusted him implicitly and followed Jared’s lead; flaunting his disobedience at Jensen Wolf; feigning indifference to the Alpha’s angry demands.

Even as Jared was encouraging his wolf to resist the Alpha’s Wolf, Jensen was battling his own, trying to prevent him from taking over and taking Jared and his wolf by force. Jensen Wolf insisted he was Head Alpha - big wolf, bigger, best! Best wolf takes what is his. Little Omega has no say. He belongs to Jensen Wolf. Why doesn’t Jensen take?!

“Sweetheart…” Jensen crooned.

“I’m NOT your sweetheart!”

“Sweetheart…” Jensen repeated. “Not only will you be my bitch and let me call you whatever the fuck I want – I’ll also have you on your knees with that perfect ass presented to me properly, your tight, little honey pot winking at me.”

“NEVER!”

“Never say never, honey pot… hmm, I like that. You’ll be my honey pot from now on.”

“Fuck… you!”

“In time, baby.”

“I’m not your baby, asshole!” Jared practically screamed at him. “Why won’t you leave me alone? I’ve already said no to you so many times! You know the laws about forcing Omegas to mate. I’m pretty sure terrorizing and coercion fall under that law.”

I WOULD back off if I knew you really weren’t interested in me, honey. But knowing you want me has got my wolf all territorial and shit. Your wolf is his as you are mine.”

“I DON’T want you!”

“But you do, and I’m gonna prove it.”

“What are you talking about? You try to force me in any way and you’ll go to jail.” Jared snarled back, smirking confidently at Jensen.

“I’m not going to force anything on you, sweetheart. The Laws also state that an Alpha has the legal right to court and pursue an Omega or a Beta that his wolf has claimed. Being at odds with your own wolf not being healthy for either, and all.

“I will never agree to bond with you Ackles, so you might as well just give up now. One slip on your part. Even just one attempt to get in my pants will get you landed in jail so fast your head will spin.”

“No one can make me lose control, honey pie. Many have tried and failed.”

“Well, you just hadn’t met me yet.” Jared said, nose lifted haughtily.

“I WILL get you to bond with me, Jared.”

“And I WILL get you to lose control, Jensen.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“It’s a promise!”

“Well then, game on, baby boy. Bring it.”

Scoffing derisively, Jared pushed past Jensen and stalked off down the hall. Cowgirl boots making loud thumps as he went.

Jensen turned to smile at his friends, one brow quirked saucily. “I like ‘em when they’re feisty.” He said, with a cocky smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it wasn't that long of a chapter. But it felt like a good point to end and let everyone have a chance to cool their heads and other body parts. LOL
> 
> Kudos and Comments are still much needed fuel! :)


	3. "I'm Not Adorable."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I actually started it and scrapped it about 4 times before it finally came to me how to get across what I wanted to happen. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. :)

Tuesday…

Jensen found a large group of students waiting for him near his usual parking spot. Further down the row, another group was standing around Jared’s bright red Jeep. Chris told Jensen that a betting pool had gone up about him and Jared and it had split nearly the entire student body in half. Jensen didn’t quite know what to make of these other kids who patted him on his shoulder as he walked towards the school with Chris on one side, Dani on the other. Each of them uttering words of encouragement and support as they went by.

Just before he could reach the steps, the group parted on his left as Jared strolled through them with his group of supporters and friends trailing behind him. He was sin on ridiculously long legs in hot pink denim shorts and a sleeveless blue denim shirt that was unbuttoned halfway down his smooth, taut, golden tanned chest. Jensen was instantly half-hard in his beaten up, faded tight jeans as Jared walked close enough for Jensen to pick up his unique honey sweet scent.

“Good Morning, Jenny.” Jared crooned, looking over his shoulder, batting his exotic eyes at Jensen as he turned to head into the school. Jensen’s eyes instantly latched onto Jared’s plush, tight ass; watching it flex and bounce before his view was cut off by the students following Jared.

“Fuck.” He groaned, quietly, even as he unabashedly reached down to adjust himself in his jeans.

Chris laughed, and gave him a light punch to one shoulder. Dani rolled her eyes as she looped her arm through one of Jensen’s and began tugging him towards the door.

“That was such a bitchy-slut thing for Jared to do, Jen. Don’t’ fall for it.” She groused.

Getting with the program, Chris clapped Jensen on the shoulder as he fell in step with him and Dani. “D’s right, man. Smoking hot omega or not, the dude called you ‘Jenny’!”

Jensen grumbled loud enough for his friends to hear yet a part of him had thrilled at the nickname. However, Jensen would rather die than admit it.

 

Wednesday…

“Is that guy seriously trying to hit on Jared?” said Katie, a gorgeous blonde beta who was becoming as good a friend as Chris and Dani. Also two alphas named Steve Carlson and Jason Manns and another beta named Mike Rosenbaum, or Rosey as Jensen had taken to calling him and Mike liking it had accepted, had joined Jensen’s inner circle.

“Right? Where the HELL has he been to not know that Jared has been staked?” asked Jason, incredulously as he stole another fry from Rosey’s tray.

“That’s Jason Momoa.” Rosey said dreamily, as he halfheartedly slapped Jason’s hand away from his food. “He just transferred in from California last week. Rumor is, he’s a head alpha too.”

“TWO head alphas in one school and both gunning for Jared?!” exclaimed Dani, then deflated as she poked at her food morosely. “Omegas have all the fun.”

Jensen smiled at Dani, feeling sorry for the sad beta. If he and his wolf hadn’t already claimed Jared, Jensen knew he would’ve been more than happy with Dani. She was smart, beautiful and had a quirky sense of humor that Jensen loved. But she didn’t make Jensen’s breath catch, or his heart race like Jared did.

“Don’t fret, D…” said Chris, with a smirk. “I think Dougie over there might have a thing for you.”

“WHAT?! He called me a ‘ginger snatch’! No way would I EVER get with him!”

“Well, it’s not like he was lying.”

A volley of fries flew at Chris as Dani, Katie and Rosey all groaned in disgust at him while Steve and Jason burst out laughing. Jensen however, tensed up in his seat as he spotted the new guy Momoa leaning in to run one large finger along Jared’s jaw. Jensen’s wolf was infuriated at another alpha touching what was his.

Before his friends knew what was happening, Jensen was off his seat and halfway across the cafeteria.

Momoa had braced one hand on the table in front of Jared so that he could lean in to flirt with Jared. His hand dropped fast though as Jensen came to stand at his side, his head alpha scent overtaking his own scent. That, along with the sense of Jensen’s inner wolf being much bigger than his own, a testament to how much stronger Jensen was, had Jason backing off. He couldn’t help the slight dropping of his canines and the defensive snarl that came to his lips, though. “What the hell is your problem, man?”

Silence fell over the room like a shroud as everyone turned to stare at the two large alphas facing off in the middle of the room. In the far corner where he’d been supervising, Coach Manners groaned and rushed out of the room to get help.  
Jensen glared at the other alpha through a red haze, unaware that his eyes had begun to glow and that his canines and claws were fully extended. “Mine.” He growled, his voice vibrating with alpha command.

Momoa was no coward, but when he glanced back at Jared he noted the anger on the beautiful omega’s face, but he also sensed the attraction the tall boy had for the head alpha. Resigned, he held up his hands, and bowed his head slightly, conceding. He then turned and walked without another word.

Jensen’s claws and canines retracted as he turned to glower down at Jared who was glaring right back at him. “Who the HELL do you think you are?!” the omega snapped, furiously.

“Flirt and flaunt yourself all you want, sweetheart. But NO ONE gets to touch you. You are MINE!” Jensen growled, ignoring Jared’s gaping astonishment he turned and stalked back towards his friends.

“Head alpha, my ass.” Jensen said to Rosey as he passed them and headed out the double doors just as Manners and two other teachers came rushing in from the other side of the room; looking nonplussed as he realized there hadn’t been a need for help.

“I should’ve retired last year like I originally planned to.” He muttered to himself.

 

Thursday…

It was the human’s day of observing All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween, as they called it. And Jared and his supporters had decided to dress accordingly.

Jensen and many other alphas utilized the bathroom stalls multiple times during the day to relieve the raging hard-ons created by seeing all the scantily clad betas running around. There were too many to discipline during school hours, but names were taken down and the school secretary and counselor spent a good portion of their time calling parents and guardians to report what their children were doing. Many a student of Lebanon High found themselves grounded later, but to most of them it was worth it.

Jared and his fellow cheerleader had all dressed in skimpier versions of their cheerleading uniforms. Jared himself, had borrowed one of Sandra’s uniforms, the tight sleeveless top stopping halfway down his abdomen, skimpy skirt barely covering his junk and ass, finished off with a pair of obscenely tight spanky pants that couldn’t possibly be within regulations.

Jensen went home that day with a sore, chafed dick muttering about how he both loved and hated Halloween.

Friday…

“Jensen, wake up. Your mother and I need to speak to you. Downstairs.”

“Mmph…wha-?” Jensen mumbled, facedown on his bed, he turned to squint sleepily at his father standing in the doorway to his room staring at Jensen with a grim set to his jaw.

Jensen blinked at the time on his bedside alarm clock, then groaned grumpily. “Dad… I don’t have to be up for school for another hour!” Not caring about the slight whine to his tone.

“JENSEN ROSS ACKLES YOU GET YOUR BUTT OUTTA THAT BED AND DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT, YOUNG MAN!” Jensen’s mother Donna, roared from downstairs, making Jensen sit up so quickly in bed that he ended up tangled in his sheets and sliding off the far side only to land in an undignified heap on the wooden floor with a loud thump.

“Ow.” He groaned.

Jensen’s dad smirked at him, holding back a laugh. “The Colonel has spoken. I’d get a move on if I were you.”

In record time, Jensen untangled himself and was down the stairs and in the den where his parents waited wearing only the board shorts he’d gone to sleep in and his hair spiked and flattened to one side.

His stomach dropped as he took in their grim expressions; lips thinned eyes narrowed in anger. Whatever he’d done to piss them off, it was bad.

His father started, probably to give his mother time to calm down. She was usually the firecracker between the two for all that it was his father, Colonel Alan Ackles who’d served and commanded in the military. Everyone who knew them knew that in their household, Donna Ackles was the boss, and his father often referred to her as being the Colonel. “Your mother and I spent all evening, while you were out, Goddess knows where, talking to random parents of kids from your school all blaming you for the shenanigans that went on at the school yesterday.”

“Me?! What did I do?!”

“You and another student named Jared were implicated by almost all of them, including your principal and a Coach Manners.”

“Who is this Jared, Jensen?” his mother finally spoke up. Her voice now a dead calm that made Jensen fidget where he stood. That voice meant his mother meant business and it was best to always just ‘fess up to whatever wrong he’d done. Only, Jensen couldn’t think of what he could’ve done to cause all this.

Deciding that to come clean with his parents was the best option, Jensen sighed before speaking. “He’s my mate. Jared Padalecki is my soulmate, ma.”

His parents both gasped in shock. His mother’s hands flying to her chest, grasped tightly. “What?! Your soulm-… wait, how do you know?! You’re only seventeen, how could you know that he’s your soulmate?!”

Jensen went on to explain, in as little detail as possible, how he’d met Jared and the battle of wills that had broken out between them. As he talked his mother moved to one of the large couches in the room, his father sitting beside her, and she gestured for him to sit in the loveseat right across from them.

“My wolf told me that Jared is mine, but he refuses to submit, encouraging his wolf to rebel against mine.” Jensen finished, as he sat down, almost dejectedly in the chair.

“A beta defied you? I was told by the parents of Danneel that you threatened to make him yours before the school year ended whether he likes it or not.” His mother said, almost accusingly.

Jensen blushed at his mother’s simple evaluation of the challenge he’d issued to Jared. Hearing it said like that sounded wrong and immoral.

“He’s omega… and I didn’t, um… threaten him. I just… sorta promised I would.”

“An omega! Jensen! You know they are not like betas to where you can just impose your will. Even with betas it’s illegal to force yourself on them! But forcing an omega is even more unheard of! I can’t believe you would do that, Jensen!”

“No one mentioned he was an omega. This just makes your behavior even worse.” Alan grumbled.

“But I didn’t force him! I didn’t mean to make it sound like a threat, he just… I just… I can’t think straight around him! I’m sorry! Mom… Dad… you KNOW I’d never force anyone!”

“Whatever you are doing with Jared has set off the rest of the kids at that school, and caused many of them to act out inappropriately yesterday. What exactly is going on, Jensen. The truth!”

Jensen went on to explain Jared’s threats to get him to break the law, and his own ‘promise’ to have Jared willingly submit to him. He told about Jared’s flirting and his own possessive behavior. As he went on, his parent’s eyes just got bigger and bigger.

When he finished, he stared in shock as his parents looked at one another, at him, then back at each other before breaking out into great gales of laughter. His mother rose and joined Jensen on the loveseat, pulling him in to hug him close and to kiss the side of his head.

“Are you guys laughing at me?” he asked, in a quiet subdued voice.

Alan just started laughing even harder, even as Donna gripped the sides of his face to make him look her in the eyes; eyes that matched Jensen’s exactly.

“Darling, we’re laughing because of how ridiculously adorable you are.”

Jensen dropped his gaze and fidgeted uncomfortably but didn’t try to pull out of his mother’s hold. “I’m not adorable.”

“My sweet baby, you ARE adorable. Instead of romancing your mate and courting him as you should be, you go after him as if you were coordinating a siege on a castle. Like winning his love is some kind of war. You are definitely your father’s child. I told you before about how he camped out on Grandma and Grandpa’s front lawn for a week just to get me to go out with him, remember?”

Jensen glanced at his father out of the corner of his eye and noted the look of unrepentant pride and love on his face, and laughed softly.

His mom dropped her hands to take both of his in hers, squeezing lovingly as she gazed up at her much bigger son.

“What do I do then? Romance him with flowers and gifts? Please Ma, I need help. I want him so badly.”

“No, completely changing up your M.O. now would only look false to him. You need to strategize and plan out your tactics.”

“I love it when you talk like that.” Murmured Alan, gazing at Donna with heat in his gaze.

“I know you do.” She simpered.

“Oh EW… guys, stop! I’m still in the room!” Jensen protested.

His parents just laughed, then his mother turned back to him.

“We spoke to Jared’s parents yesterday in a conference call with Principal Singer and Coach Manners. Lebanon has been chosen as the host for the Annual Hunt for Smith County. The prize for the winning team is a thousand dollars for each Hunter. That could more than pay for the parts you need for the Impala. The winning team is also competing for the chance to represent Smith County at the Grand Hunt in Wichita.” Donna said, earnestly.

“If you two win the Grand Hunt, honey… you not only win acclaim and recognition, but you and Jared could also win twenty-five thousand dollars each! Plus, two hundred and fifty thousand towards the school budget for the entire Smith County of which Lebanon High would get a sizable portion of.” Donna paused to cradle Jensen’s jaw with one small hand. “But most important of all, even over that twenty-five thousand going to help pay for your college, is it will give you a chance to get to know Jared and to possibly win his affections.”

“But don’t forget these Hunts can be dangerous, Jensen.” His father chimed in, voice stern. “But I have faith your skills, son. I’ve taught you all I know, and you’ve never let me down all the times we’ve gone out hunting game together. I know you will do whatever it takes to keep and your Jared safe.”

“Yes sir, I will.” Jensen was instantly vitalized. He loved to hunt and knew that he was good at it. In his human form as well as his wolf. “And you’re sure Jared is joining this year?”

Donna answered. “Yes he is. He’s been training since last year with a boy named Chad who was supposed to be his partner. But seeing as how you need your parent’s approval, Chad’s parents agreed to pull their permission in order to free up Jared for you. What we heard is that Chad wasn’t really all that excited about it to begin with, and was only doing it for Jared. So it all works out for everyone involved.” Donna’s eyes hardened as she regarded her only child. “We all want this rivalry you and Jared have going, to end. And we couldn’t see a better way to end it, than to make it so you and he had to work together in order to win and get back safely doing it.”

“Changing his partner at the last minute is not gonna go over well with Jared but this is brilliant, mom! I’ll have him all to myself, no other people around. No escaping.”

“We expect you to be a gentleman, Jensen.” Donna admonished him.

“Now honey…” added Alan. “This is his soulmate. We can’t expect him to be a TOTAL gentleman.”

“You… are a bad influence on our son.”

Jensen laughed, his mind racing with all the wonderful possibilities of the upcoming hunt.

============================

In a much bigger house across town, in one of the more affluent neighborhoods, Jared sat at his kitchen table staring at his parents in disbelief. Having just gone through a conversation very similar to the Ackles’.

“I can’t believe you’d do this to me.” He said, voice faint with shock.

Jared’s father leaned back in his chair and crossed his large arms over his massive chest. “Your behavior young man has gotten more and more out of control since you presented. We’ve let it slide because you always seemed to come to your senses in the summers but whenever you go back to that school it starts right back up again.”

“All those scantily clad betas running around the school yesterday were copying YOUR example, Jared! Is THAT the image you want to send out about yourself, Jared? Because that is NOT how we raised you!” his mother cried, her face and voice rife with disappointment.

Jared blushed in shame; fought yet failed to keep back the tears that welled and overflowed.

“The only other option Jared, that we can see here, is to remove you from Lebanon High and send you to Winchester Academy in Topeka like I originally wanted for you.”

“NO, please! I love it here, all my friends are here!”

“Then you’re gonna have to show us you can change Jared. Work with this alpha this weekend during the hunt. Show that you can be a proper omega. And don’t think we mean for you to drop to all fours and present. We mean for you to act like the intelligent, caring and wonderful young man we all know you can be, Jared!”

“But this whole thing is just like serving me up on a platter to HIM!”

“We’ve asked around about this Jensen Ackles. Your father was up late calling in favors. Jensen’s records from other schools and testaments from former teachers all say he is a proper, well behaved alpha. His father served gallantly in the military who now runs one of the best security companies in 4 counties, and his mother is a well-respected professor at the college. We have every confidence that you will be safe with this boy.”

Jared pouted as he thought to himself. –That makes 2 out of 3 who believes that. – His mind racing with all the horrible possibilities of the upcoming hunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and Comments still very much appreicated. :)


	4. "You're Not What I Thought You'd Be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long to get out of me. Hopefully next chapter will come faster. But please, don't hate me if it doesn't. So much going on w/ me, I find it hard to keep focused. Hope you're still liking it, so far.

The morning of the Hunt dawned bright and was already heating up by the time Jared and his parents made it to the school around 9am. Jared sat with his parents in the bleachers set up in the huge field that bordered the wild prairie lands behind the school. It was one of the few large tracts of land left untouched in north central Kansas.

The bleachers were set in a semicircle, and in the middle was a short platform reached by two shallow steps with a podium in the middle of the platform, and a silver bell set into a simple wooden housing with its own stand. Hanging from a chain on the side of the housing was a little metal bar that was used to ring the bell. This bell and others exactly like it went out to every Hunt in every state across the nation. It was only rung at the official start and end of a Hunt.

Standing at attention on the platform were the three officials from the Kansas State Hunt Committee, two men, one woman, and Principal Singer. All four of them looking serious and standing in a line as they watched the bleachers fill with the contestants, or Hunters as they were called, their families and any friends they chose to sit with them.

Bordering the field on three sides, the townsfolk of Lebanon and surrounding counties set themselves up, along with some vendors using the event to sell their products, with portable awnings, chairs and tables to watch and cheer on their favorites. Though most would go home at night, quite a few had set up tents to stay in the field for the entire time of the Hunt.

Only the six teams of Hunters along with a pair of Watchers assigned to each team will be going out into the hunting grounds. No Hunter knew who their Watchers would be, a precaution to prevent any tampering with the Hunt. The Watchers would be assigned randomly during the starting ceremony. Every Watcher had to have no association with any of the contestants, and all of them had to be fit enough to keep up as well as trained for any emergency situations that may crop up during the Hunt.

The Watchers were given maps, backpacks with survival supplies and an emergency satellite phone complete with a built in tracking device. They were to only follow the Hunters and observe, never to intervene unless the life of one of the Hunters was in danger. In fact, if a Watcher pair was really good, the Hunters would never even know they were there, the Watchers would only break cover if they must speak to the Hunters for a vital reason. Usually, a Hunter pair only saw their Watchers if they were doing something wrong.

The Watchers were also given a flare gun with three types of flares.

One flare was green to signify the Hunters had successfully completed their tasks. Another was white to signify that the Hunters have quit and declared defeat. The last was red to indicate one of the Hunters was injured and could not continue. The red was also used if any of the party was killed by natural or unnatural causes. Accidents do happen, after all. If even one Hunter can’t continue, their Hunt is over. If one or both of the Watchers were unable to continue however, they would be evacuated out and replacements would come in.

Both of Jared’s parents went from proudly sitting on either side of him, to nervously fidgeting as the time drew near. Sitting in the bleachers with them were Jared’s friends, his Aunt, her husband, and a handful of cousins who had driven all the way from Wichita to support Jared.

Jared’s parents would occasionally reach out to rub Jared’s back, or smooth back his hair from his face or just hold one of his hands as Sherry was now doing. He was their only child and since the Hunt’s inception over fifty years ago, they hadn’t all ended on a victorious or even happy note. It rarely happened, but there had been a few times when no victor could be declared due to there being no contestants left to complete the Hunt. Either killed or taken out by injury.

Jared was barely keeping his own nerves in check, but as high noon approached he could feel the sweat already beading on his upper lip. He glanced over at Jensen and his parents sitting alone in their bleachers and couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Jared had been training for this for two years, Jensen was going into this with what Jared thought was an unfair disadvantage. The lonely look of the trio sitting there drained the last of Jared’s animosity towards Jensen. And when the older boy glanced at him, Jared smiled softly at him. Jared wondered what had happened to all the friends Jensen had made over the weeks since he’d come to Lebanon; all of them professing to have his back. Where the hell were they now?!

Quickly making up his mind, Jared turned to his three cousins sitting to the right of Sherry. “You guys mind moving back one row?”

They complied without question, and Jared turned and walked nervously up to the Ackles’.

“Good Morning, Jared.” Jensen’s father greeted him first as Jensen just stared at him with a slight tinge of confusion, head tilted to the side.

“Good Morning, sir… ma’am. Hi Jensen.”

“Good Morning, dear.” Jensen’s mother chirped, smiling sunnily at him – Jared noting right way where Jensen got his stunning smile and green eyes from.

Jensen smiled tentatively at him, and Jared returned it.

Clearing his throat nervously, Jared glanced back at his friends and family and saw that they were all watching him with varying degrees of confusion and shock on their faces. All of them had already heard of the events that had led up to Jared getting teamed up with Jensen. Chad was even standing at the top of the bleachers with his arms folded across his chest, shooting daggers at Jensen with his squinty gaze.

Turning back to the Ackles’, Jared smiled shyly, bright red flags of color high on his cheeks. “I was, um, wondering if you guys would like to come sit with us, we have room. With everybody staring at you and y’all sitting here alone – it must be very uncomfortable.”

Jensen’s parents smiled at him with clear affection in their faces, as Jensen just stared in mild shock that melted into a soft look of gratitude. “We’d love to.” He answered, to which his parents heartily agreed.

As he led them back to his bleachers, Jared’s parents rose to greet Jensen’s, and their mothers even hugged in greeting. Before sitting, Jensen touched Jared’s arm lightly, holding him back. “Thanks for this. It didn’t really bother me – all the staring – but I could tell it was grating on my parent’s nerves.”

“Your friends didn’t wanna sit with you?”

“Oh, believe me, they did! They were practically begging. But they were making me nervous. It was hard enough dealing with my parents and their worrying and having to deal with the others, too.” He cocked his head again as he gazed softly at Jared. “What made you come over, Jared?”

Jared blushed again and ducked his head. One hand going to the back of his neck as he tried to hide his nervousness. “We’re a team, Jensen. Whether we wanted this or not. The Hunt can be very dangerous. I don’t want you… I mean… either of us to get hurt or killed because of some stupid high school rivalry.”

“Just admit, you wanted to get closer to my sexy ass again.” Jensen winked at him, smiling warmly at the younger boy.

Jared laughed heartily, dimples popping, head thrown back. Jensen’s smile dropped as he just stared in awe. His stomach swooping with a surge of pure want, groin tightening, his breath catching in his throat. Swallowing thickly, Jensen cleared his throat and rushed to sit at the end of the bench next to his father, Jared going back to his seat between his own parents, a saucy smirk on his soft-looking lips. Given what he was wearing; now was not the time for Jensen to pop a boner.

Along with the supplies provided, Watchers were also outfitted with all-weather gear that regulated their body temperatures even in the most extreme types of weather. The material of their clothing wicked away sweat as well as protected their bodies from all sorts of things. As long as they protected their faces they could walk through the thickest of brambles without a single scratch. They could wade through the coldest of rivers and not feel a thing. Although not bulletproof, the dark gray bodysuits could often prevent all but the sharpest of knives from punching through. And even then, they couldn’t push through far enough to do any real damage.

They suits however, not impervious to high falls or crushing weights. And even if a Were’s bite couldn’t break through the material, the power in a full grown Were’s jaws could still cause damage by crushing the bones beneath.

And as Jensen had just recalled a minute or two earlier, the Hunters were afforded little to no protection, at all. They were only allowed a knee-length wrap that goes around their waists and were held up by nothing more than a Velcro strap that had the Hunter’s name stitched into the back side of it. It was made of the same material as the Watchers’ gear, but was made of a thinner weave, more suited for quick removal. It was very durable but was created specifically so that it would come off easily if the Hunter wearing it, shifted on the fly.

The strap also helped to secure the lightweight wrap around the leg of the Hunter so that in his Wolf form he can carry it with him without having to hold it in his or her mouth. When unrolled, the wrap could be used as a groundsheet, but wasn’t big enough to create a shelter with. In fact, it barely wrapped twice around Jensen, leaving one leg poking out of a slit on the side formed by the barely overlapping ends. Being slimmer, Jared was able to wrap his better, much to Jensen’s disappointment.

One side challenge all Hunts had but wasn’t an officially sanctioned aspect, was the stealing of wraps from other Hunters. Not only was it a badge of honor with the more wraps you had, but it also afforded more coverage of your body when you linked them together, thus preventing less scrapes and scratches when scrambling about the countryside. Another unspoken rule was that you could not steal back your wrap from the person who first took it from you. You’d have to wait for it to be stolen by another for you to even attempt to get it back. And if no one decides to steal it, you could be left without a wrap for the entire hunt, forcing you to assume Wolf form more often, even if just to protect your sensitive bits if not your modesty. And when in Wolf form, communication between partners was limited unless both were in Wolf form.

Weres in human form can speak and be understood by other Weres in human form and in Wolf form alike. But one can only speak with a Wolf form if one is also a Wolf.

Just then, the bells of the church on Lebanon’s Main street could be heard tolling the noon hour, by all in the field. Principal Singer went to the small silver bell, picked up the little rod and rang the bell three times. It’s pure, beautiful tone ringing out and bringing a hush to the large gathering.

Because of earlier briefings by the leaders of the various schools from the incorporated towns and cities of Smith County, all of the Hunters knew what they had to do next. Getting last hugs and reassurances from family and friends, all the Hunters made their way around towards the front of the platform, lining up along the red ribbon stretched between the posts of a large, wide intricate arch made by Lebanon’s top woodcrafters, stonemasons, weavers and crafters. It was a matter of pride for whichever town or city is chosen for the Annual Hunt to also produce the most awe inspiring arch possible. Judging by the comments of visitors Jared overheard earlier, Lebanon had outdone itself this year. Another side of the competition is that not only does the winning pair get their cash prize but they also receive the Hunter’s Arch as a sort of trophy.

If a district won the arch of another, they usually just destroyed it in front of the sponsoring city and left it at that. Other districts preferred to keep the arches and use them in displays of dominance by installing them in highly visible areas in their districts so that locals and visitors alike would easily see it. When this is done, some winning districts would trade their newly won arch for one of their own that may have been lost to another district in the years before. So most of the time, the sponsor district would strive harder to win, not wanting to deal with the shame of losing their arch and the humiliation that can occur from the loss of it.

Jensen and Jared looked up at the beautiful arch, soaring above them. The crafted items made by their own family members were embedded into the very top of the arch. The honor given because of Jared and Jensen being the chosen representatives for Lebanon, the host city for this year. Jensen felt tears prick his eyes as he noticed a panel of sheet metal intricately carved with an ivy motif, his own name carved into the center of it in a flowing, elegant script. Right away, Jensen recognized his mother’s artistry and his father’s metalworking skills.

They must’ve worked all night to get it done. Even with such short notice its simple elegance fit right in with the other panels made by family members who’d had a year to prepare. Jensen looked back to see his parents standing at attention with the other parents, just ten paces behind the Hunters line. He caught their gazes and smiled lovingly at them. They returned the smile, his mom blowing him a kiss before he turned back around to stare straight ahead at the rolling prairie of tall grass in front of him.

A single tap on the bell had all the Hunters and their parents turning in place to face the platform where the four officials and Singer were standing in a line. The female official was positioned at the microphone. Stepping up to the mic, she began the ceremony with the Granting of the Guardians.

In groups of threes or fours, the parents stepped up to their children across from them. They then looked up to the four on the platform and spoke as one the time-honored practiced speech.

Jared and Jensen’s parents went first. Gerald, Sherri, Alan and Donna all speaking as one.

“We the parents and guardians of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles give unto the Hunt their youth, passion, courage and strength so that the Goddess can know her children still thrive. May Luna keep them safe and grant them victory. Guard over them from now until they are no longer of this world.”

Jared had to bite back a grin at the sight of his and Jensen’s mother’s teary faces, even as their fathers led their wives back to their spots in line with the other parents.

And so, the ritual continued. Each group of parents; some as little as two, some more than the traditional two and two. They all stepped to their Hunter pair and announced their children’s towns and names as well as the blessings.

  * Lauren and Alona from Kensington.
  * Osric and Felicia from Gaylord.
  * Rick and Ty from Cedar.
  * Emily and Gil from Smith Center.
  * Travis and Sterling from Athol.

After all parents had verbally given their permission for their child to participate, the silver bell was rung twice by Singer. The parents filed away with last smiles and quiet words of encouragement to their children. Donna blew a kiss at Jensen, while Gerald held up a victory fist towards Jared, pride shining in the big man’s eyes.

As the parents cleared off the field, the group of Watchers filed in from a secluded tent set off to the side. They gathered in front of the platform, facing the Hunters. All of them came from outside of Kansas, and were chosen by experts at the Hunt HQ in Wichita.

To Jared, they all looked like hard, grim looking badasses. Even the women! He knew that quite a few Watchers were former Hunt Winners or if they hadn’t won, they still finished, and were still very much respected for it.

Jared found himself swallowing nervously as he gazed at them. Already spotting some truly scary looking Watchers he prayed wouldn’t be assigned to him and Jensen.

Reading off of a small strip of parchment, the Watchers were assigned to each Hunter pair.

The moment Jared and Jensen were assigned both their Watchers, Jared leaned over to whisper in Jensen’s ear, not noticing the shiver of awareness that went through Jensen as he did so.

“I’ve heard of both of them. The Omega is Matt from Chicago. The Beta’s Anna, from Jacksonville. They’re both former winners of their counties. Matt is a Grand Champion though, he and his former partner won their statewide Hunt seven years ago. His partner was his mate Samantha, she was badly injured fighting off a mountain lion to protect him during that Hunt, which is why she’s not here. They’re legends.”

Jensen leaned over and whispered back into Jared’s ear, making sure to brush his lips against the soft shell of Jared’s ear. “I may not be from around here, sweetheart. But even I’ve heard of Matt and Samantha Cohen-Smith.” He purred seductively.

Jared pulled away from Jensen as subtly as he could. “Just because I invited you to sit with us doesn’t mean anything, Ackles. I’m here to win, not to hook up with you. If you don’t take this Hunt seriously, you could cost us the win, or get us both killed.”

“Oh baby, believe me… I take any kind of hunt seriously. I live for the chase.” Jensen replied, with a bold wink. “Have I told you how beautiful you look today? I love it when you leave your hair down like that.”

Jared blushed furiously with arousal and anger. Mostly anger, for letting Jensen get to him. He knew Jensen was only doing this to unsettle him. He didn’t really care about Jared. He’s just the type of asshole alpha that always wants what he can’t have. Jared would rather die than let the alpha make him another notch on his belt.

Jared, face red with ire, was about to blast Jensen, when Matt interrupted them with a loud clearing of his throat. “Did you two even hear the last of the instructions?”

Anna had her lips pressed tight, as if holding back a laugh, her brown eyes twinkling at them. “You two are adorable, new couples always are. But you really should pay attention from here on out.” She said.

“We’re not…” Jared started, but Matt cut him off with a swift cutting motion of his hand.

“Enough! Get your heads in the game, and quit flirting with the Alpha. I’m an Omega too, but you need to get your hormones in check if you wanna win this and come out of it intact.”

Insulted, Jared flushed even harder, biting back his retort, a sense of shame filling him. Jensen, however, had no such restraint.

Jensen growled as he stepped between Jared and Matt. “Omega or not, don’t you dare talk down to Jared like that again.” He ordered, his Head Alpha voice underlining his words.

Anna’s head dropped in a bow, but even as Matt’s head lowered slightly, he didn’t back down. Unwittingly earning some points with Jensen, who had quickly regained control of his anger.

“My apologies, Jared… Alpha Jensen. But Anna and I are here to make sure you two stay on track, don’t break any rules and help in limited ways to get you home safely. It’s our jobs and we take it seriously. We haven’t lost a Hunter pair yet, and we don’t plan on starting now.”

Jared was torn again about what he was feeling. One moment, Jensen was driving him insane with his cocky possessive attitude towards Jared, and the next Jared was all fluttery when Jensen got protective of him. He couldn’t take the time to sort it all out and decided to just get his head back in the game. He laid one hand on Jensen’s arm and massaged it in a soothing motion – the Alpha could feel the rest of his anger melt away with Jared’s touch. “No, I’m sorry.” He said. “I know you’re just trying to help.”

Even if Jared and Jensen knew the basics of the Hunt, it was the Guardian’s duty to go over it again with them.

The moment the silver bell is rung for the start of the Hunt, each pair had exactly 48 hours to complete their tasks and get back to the starting point.

Each team was assigned a certain quadrant of the Prairie and Woodland Preserve, but it wasn’t against the rules to Hunt in other territories. In the past, teams have been known to finish their tasks early but stay out to mess up other teams by going into their areas and moving or taking their items. But even if it wasn’t against the rules, it was looked down upon as being petty and unsportsmanlike.

Finally, Matt gave Jared and Jensen the parchment listing the items they had to find and bring back with them.

>     * 3 Meadowlarks
>     * Don’t go for the obvious
>     * Look high, look low
>     * Follow your heart
>     * Look to the unexpected, look close

“That’s it?!” Jared exclaims in a high whisper. Unwilling to let the other teams hear his uncertainty. “That’s ALL the clues we’re going to get? We have almost 10 acres of land to search and that’s all the clues we have?!” Jared’s cheeks were red with frustration, his eyes going glassy with a low level panic. 

Jensen quickly went to his side, pulling the slimmer boy into his arms. He rubbed at Jared’s back with one hand as he cradled the curve of his jaw with the other, forcing Jared’s eyes, a beautiful blue-green with gold flecks, to meet his own jade-like orbs.

“It’s alright, baby. We’ll figure it out. We’re gonna win this, ‘cos you’re amazing and I’m awesome. We are the best! You hear me, sweetheart?” Jensen crooned.

The thought of rejecting Jensen’s comfort never entering his mind, Jared calmed down and smiled at Jensen. “You’re not what I thought you’d be.” He said, softly. “You ARE pretty awesome.”

Jensen beamed happily down at Jared. “It’s about time you figured that out! Does this mean I can finally get a date when we’re done winning this thing?”

“Hold your horses, cowboy. We’ve still got some talking to do.”

“Well then, good thing we’ve got the whole weekend to ourselves then, huh?”

Just then, Singer rang the silver bell once… it was time.

All the Hunters formed back up at the ribbon.

Twice…

The Watchers donned their packs and took up positions 10 paces behind their assigned Hunters.

Third peal of the bell… The Hunt begins.




**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally, we're here. Let the Hunt begin! :D


	5. "You know, you're pretty sappy for an Alpha."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your constant patience with me. I am aiming to finish this fic this month 'cos I'm planning on joining the SPN J2 Big Bang in May and don't want this fic to get left behind for any reason.
> 
> Here's an extra long chapter to say sorry for the long wait. Keep those comments coming, you don't know how much they mean to me! :)

“Hey Pada-baby… still got those long legs locked or did you finally open them for your new alpha?” A familiar, grating voice rang out to Jared’s left as the Hunters began walking towards the end of the field where the prairie grass shot up to six feet and even higher in some places.

“Wade.” Jared said on a heavy sigh. “Still a charmer, I see. What? You didn’t get your ass kicked enough at the Rugby Championships this year?”

“Been thinking about my ass too, huh baby?”

Jared glanced over at the much shorter man, a cold smirk on his lips. “Yep, been thinking about your ass and how you’d like my size 12 boot rammed up it..” 

“Kinky! Never pegged you as having a foot fetish Pada-Boo. But I can work with it.”

Jared rolled his eyes then craned his neck to look at the tall, black boy walking on the other side of Travis. “Hey Sterling.”

“Jared. What happened to Murray and who’s the new guy?”

Jensen let Jared answer for him. Feeling no need to speak up when his senses were focused on the smaller guy, whom Jensen was barely keeping himself from ripping apart.

“This is Jensen Ackles. Just moved to Lebanon about a month ago. And uh, Chad’s parents changed their minds at the last minute. Jensen, um… volunteered… to fill in.”

Sterling and Jensen nodded at each other, but Jensen returned to focusing on Travis, who he noted was drifting closer and closer to Jared as they neared the edge of the field.

“Why are you guys representing Athol?” Jared asked, also tracking Travis out of the corner of his eye. “Aren’t you both from Bellaire?”

“Athol offered our families nice, new homes and other incentives to represent them this year.” Travis answered, even as he dropped a step back so he could leer appreciatively at Jared’s ass.

Jensen stepped into his line of sight and waited for the smaller boy to meet his gaze. “I’ll offer you a nice new grave if you don’t keep your eyes and your mind off my mate.”

“He’s not yours until you claim him, buddy.” Travis sneered. “I can smell that you haven’t, and until you do, he’s fair game.”

Jared stepped between the two alphas and shoved Travis back from Jensen with one hard push to the smaller boy’s chest. He smirked when Travis had to scramble to keep from falling on his ass.

“I’m no one’s game, Wade! I thought I made that clear back in Freshman year. So unless you’re looking for another broken nose, back off!”

A couple feet from the edge of the field, Hunters began stripping off their wraps, and rolling and binding them to their legs. Pair by pair, they shifted into their wolf forms and took off into the grass. Some yipping and barking excitedly, others howling with the thrill of the hunt running through their veins. They had about 6 hours left in the day to hopefully find the first item before meeting up with their Watchers at the first checkpoint and everyone knew that going in Wolf form raised the chances of the wolf’s heightened senses, faster travel speed and agility winning the Hunt.

Sterling hauled Travis back to his side and dragged him back away from Jared and Jensen. “We’re here to win a Hunt Wade, not to get your scrawny ass laid. If you cost us the win ‘cause you can’t control your fucking hormones I’ll kick your ass, myself! My family needs this, and no one is getting in my way. Not even you!” He growled warningly, his eyes flashing gold as his wolf rose within him.

Turning to face the prairie, Sterling whipped off his wrap and quickly secured it to his right leg. He shifted quickly into a black and silver wolf and took off into the long grass.

Grimacing in embarrassment, Travis looked back at Jared and shrugged. “Sorry.” He said, before copying Sterling’s moves, shifting into a small, lean gray wolf and taking off after his partner.

“Huh.” Jared said. “Hanging with Sterling must’ve changed Wade for the better.”

“Why do you say that? The guy’s a jerk!” asked Jensen incredulously as he stripped his wrap off and began rolling it.

Trying not to stare at Jensen, Jared turned to slip off his wrap too. “The Travis I knew two years ago before his family moved to Bellaire always acted too big for his britches. Being so small he was always trying to prove how tough he was. He never would’ve backed down from a fight. And he sure as hell wouldn’t have apologized.”

“Hm.” Jensen said, as he unabashedly ran his eyes over Jared’s body. His wolf nearly salivating at the glorious display.

“Quit staring!” Jared snapped, flushing brilliantly.

“Can’t help but admire pure perfection, sweetheart.”

“Uh, thanks. But you need to keep focused, Jensen. It could be dangerous out there.”

“Oh I know, baby, don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

Jared blushed harder, but glanced at Jensen out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t help the small smile that came to his lips. Jensen winked at him and held out one hand.

Unable to stop the surge of warmth through his body, Jared reached out and took hold. The older boy grinned delightedly, and instantly wove their fingers together. “What do you say we go win this thing?”

Jared beamed happily as he nodded.

Jensen blinked dazedly, then shook his head as if to clear it. Jared’s smile was like staring into the sun, lighting his insides and setting him on fire. Jensen felt a heavy, warm feeling settle deeper inside him and he knew he was a goner. He was completely and undeniably in love with the most beautiful boy in the world.

Without need of another word, Jared and Jensen walked confidently into the long grass with their hands clasped tight; unaware of the beautiful picture they made for the cameras and other devices trained on them back at the starting point.

************************************

The position of the sun told Jared that they were only two hours into their wolves’ easy, distance-eating lope when he and Jensen felt the land beneath them beginning to change. The long grass was getting shorter, sparser, letting in more light even as the soft ground began to get stony as it sloped upwards.

\--I think we’re leaving the prairie lands. We should stop and take a look at the map.-- Jared thought, his mind easily connecting to Jensen’s. 

Jensen who’d been leading, Jared unconsciously falling back to let him soon after they’d shifted and set off, paused to crane his head and sniff the air, Jared coming to a stop slightly behind him. Instinct had made Jared run close to Jensen’s right side but a respectful two paces behind. Jared wondered at it for a few seconds back when they’d seemed to automatically fall into formation, but he couldn’t deny that it had felt natural and right.

They’d come to a stop just inside the grassline. Still covered by tall grass, but with a clear view of the rocky field that sloped up towards the start of a verdant stretch of woods.

\--Let’s get up into the treeline and under cover, first.— Jensen thought back to him, still sniffing the air for any sign of danger. –We could rest there. I smell water too… sounds like a small creek.—

Jared sniffed the air too and caught a whiff of the running water Jensen mentioned. As for hearing it, Jared couldn’t hear a thing over the sound of the constant prairie breezes the whooshed the long grass to and fro. If the Alpha was right, his senses were a lot stronger than Jared’s.

He followed as Jensen led him across the field and into the trees. In less than ten minutes, they came upon a picturesque meadow with a small creek; water crystal clear, the bottom lined with reddish-gray rounded pebbles, running almost straight down the middle.

Despite being thirsty, Jared held back from drinking as Jensen began to make a sweep of the surrounding area. Jensen had never felt this urge to be so cautious before in his life. All the hunting trips he’d gone on with his father before, it had been his Dad who’d been the protector. The leader.

Jensen and his wolf had learned by watching his venerable sire all of Jensen’s life, and Jensen couldn’t have been more grateful for those lessons. Jensen had a near overwhelming need to keep Jared safe, and all the skills he had learned from his father gave him the confidence and know-how to do so.

As he was finishing off his sweep, Jensen flushed out a pair of rabbits. Deadly teeth snapping, Jensen easily caught the bigger one, while the other, in its panic had run straight at Jared. At the last second, the rabbit realized its mistake and made a desperate leap to the side. Despite having never hunted in the wild, instinct took over as Jared gracefully leapt in the same direction as the rabbit and snatched it out of midair whle also effortlessly flipping his long, lanky body around and landing on all fours, solidly.

As he felt the small creature go limp in his mouth, a great sense of accomplishment flooded Jared’s senses. He pranced and wiggled delightedly as he turned back to look at Jensen who had shifted into his human form and was securing his wrap around his hips, while grinning delightedly at Jared’s antics.

\--Did you see that? That was ama--- oh shoot, you shifted.-- Weres could only speak telepathically when in wolf form so Jared quickly dropped the rabbit and shifted back into human form. His giddiness still apparent as he quickly covered up and then danced in place, beaming at Jensen.

“DID YOU SEE THAT?!” Jared shouted, excitedly. “I was like lightning, didn’t even have to think about it! That was like pure, flawless instinct! I am awesome, I am amazing, I am…”

“Without dinner.” Jensen interrupted, as the rabbit who had only fainted, woke up and darted off into a large bramble patch.

Jared stared after it in shock, then turned back to Jensen forlorn. Bottom lip poked out as he pouted. Jensen, who’d been leaning over to pick up his catch, fell over laughing.

Jared stamped one foot and pouted. He then huffed dramatically, turned and stomped off towards the creek. “It’s not funny, Ackles! Now what am I gonna eat?” he crouched down by the creek and began scooping water up to drink.

Jensen walked over with an affectionate smile on his face. “Don’t be mad, baby. I was only laughing ‘cos you looked so damn cute. But that WAS an amazing catch. Cheerleading must benefit your wolf as well as it does you.”

“Thanks.” Jared smiled softly up at him, all anger gone. “But I still lost our dinner.”

“This tubby rascal should be enough for the both of us.” Jensen added, holding up the rabbit he’d caught and killed.

“Well then, since you did the providing. I’ll do the cooking.” Jared smiled as he popped back onto his feet. Even if he’d never been on a real hunt, he and Chad had trained for over a year in survival techniques. All the hunters had discovered upon receiving their wraps that sewn into the inner lining were small pockets stuffed with basic, yet useful items.

There was a fire-making kit, a small yet wickedly sharp knife in its own sheathe, some strong twine and a waterproof metal case with water purifying tablets inside. They didn’t need to test water for drinkability, their wolf senses, particularly the sense of smell, was more than capable of telling if any water they found was suitable for drinking. Before Jared had taken a sip of the water in the creek he’d sniffed it, and the water was not only safe but cool and satisfying too.

The two fell into a rhythm as they prepared their meal. As Jared was gutting and skinning the rabbit, Jensen had collected firewood from the dead branches littering the area around them. He’d just finished building a small fire pit complete with a green wood roasting spit above it when he stiffened and jerked his head up in alarm.

Jared, who’d just finished spitting the rabbit on another green stick and setting it over the fire, looked up at Jensen in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Something or someone is here. Nearby. I hear something.”

“What do you hear?” Jared asked, as he walked over to stand by Jensen. “Another team?”

“No.” Jensen whispered, as his gaze narrowed in on a section of woods across the creek. “Something else. It sounds like a baby.”

“A baby?!” Jared exclaimed, rushing to catch up to Jensen as he bounded over the small creek and began running towards the trees. Jensen wove expertly through the trees and brush, barely making a noise as he moved. Jared striving to follow his example while keeping up with the bigger boy.

Concentrating so hard on keeping quiet while staying close to Jensen, Jared wasn’t prepared when Jensen came to a sudden stop. He tried to avoid running into the Alpha, stumbling and nearly falling on his face, but Jensen’s arms had flashed out to catch him and haul his body up against his own as he looked down at what he’d found. Craning around and wiggling in Jensen’s arms, Jared caught sight of what Jensen was looking at and gaped in surprise.

Cuddled into a whimpering ball of fear and confusion was a tiny, fluffy lynx cub. Its small, pointed ears laid back as it hissed fearfully at Jared and Jensen.

“Awww how adorable!” Jared cooed as he pulled out of Jensen’s arms, not noticing the older boy’s pout of disappointment, and went to kneel next to the obviously frightened baby wildcat.

“Be careful, Jare!”

“It’s just a baby, Jensen. What’s it gonna do? Kill me with cuteness?”

Jared instantly regretted his words when he reached to pet the little cat and received a nasty scratch across the back of his hand for his trouble.

“Yeowch! Sonuvabitch!” Jared shouted in surprised pain, yanking his hand back.

He and Jensen gasped when the tiny cub shifted into a naked toddler who, they noted was a boy, as he sat back on his little rump and began crying full blast.

“Jared, you scared him!” Jensen admonished, as he scooped the child up into his arms, trying to soothe him.

Jared gaped in astonishment, then huffed indignantly. “HE scratched me, what did you expect me to do?!”

“To not shout at a helpless little baby!” Jensen scolded, frowning at Jared.

Biting his lip, Jared stared at the adorable little boy as he clung tightly to Jensen, his little body shivering, sobbing fitfully. Jared’s omega instincts kicked in as he watched the fat tears rolling down the chubby cheeks of the child. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you, sweety.” He crooned as he stepped closer.

The little boy turned his head slightly to stare warily at Jared. Jared pulled out his best smile and nearly jumped for joy when the child returned it with a wobbly smile of his own. He then leaned back in Jensen’s arms and held out his arms towards Jared.

Jared eagerly took him, grinning happily at Jensen, who only shook his head and began prodding them back towards their campsite. “Let’s get back before our dinner burns.”

Turned out they didn’t have to worry about it as it was being turned by a redheaded girl, while an Asian boy was walking into the small clearing carrying a bundle of long whippy saplings in both hands. “Hi there! Hope you don’t mind us joining your awesome camp site.” He called out.

Jensen just gaped at them. Even as he began to start feeling anger at having his temporary territory infringed upon, Jared called out to the strangers with a happy shout.

“Felicia! Osric!”

“Jare Bear!” the redhead shouted, bounding over to give Jared a clumsy hug. She leaped back as Jared suddenly found himself holding a hissing lynx cub that had managed to swipe its claws across the redhead’s cheek. “No, sweety! Don’t hurt! She’s a friend.”

The little were-lynx shifted back into a boy and sniffed apologetically at Jared. His bottom lip pooched out as his eyes began to water again. “No, no don’t cry. It’s okay, she’s okay. See? She’s already healing.” Jared instantly assured him, staving off the little boy’s tears.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” The redhead said, as she wiped the blood off her again flawless cheek. She eyed the toddler curiously then turned her gaze on Jared. “When did you get mated and why would you bring your baby on a Hunt? And what happened to Chad?”

“He’s not my baby! I would’ve had to have been fifteen at the time of his birth. Also, you saw him change into a lynx cub. If you remember, I’m a wolf. Jensen and I just found him back there in the woods, all alone.”

“Um, excuse me?” interrupted Jensen. “But what’s going on here? I take it you all know each other?”

“Um, yeah. We had survival courses together. Felicia Day, Osric Chau… this is Jensen Ackles. He’s new to Lebanon and when Chad’s parents pulled their permission, he um… because we, um…”

“Because you two are mates and mates always make better Hunting pairs. We get it.” Osric added, as he stepped up and smiled dopily at the toddler in Jared’s arms. “I can smell you’re not mated, yet. But you two are definitely matched.”

Jared peeked over at Jensen and saw the older boy gazing at him possessively. Jared blushed slightly, but turned to look at Osric as he spoke to the little were-lynx in his arms.

“And who are you, little one? Where’s your mommy and daddy?”

“Mawmaw, daddy gone…” the little boy said, pouting, blinking sleepily as the strain of fear and crying began to take its effect.

“Poor guy.” Jensen murmured. “Maybe he got lost. What’s your name, little man?”

“Wyon.” The baby muttered as he rested his head on Jared’s shoulder and began to blink sleepily.

“Ryon? Ryon what?” asked Jensen.

The little boy shrugged as he blinked twice more then fell asleep.

“I’ll get him settled then we can eat and talk.” Said Jared.

“Here, he can have this.” Osric said, as he stepped over to the bundle of saplings and undid the material he had wrapped them in. They saw it was a swath of the same material that made up their wraps.

Osric pointed down, and Jensen and Jared finally noticed that the boy’s wrap was cut jaggedly to a length right above his knees. “There was a mix-up and I got a regular sized wrap. Damn thing was so long it was tripping me up, so I had to do a little alteration. Besides, now everyone can see my amazing legs.”

Felicia rolled her eyes as Jared and Jensen just chuckled.

“Thanks Oz.” Jared said as he stepped away to find a soft spot near the fire to lay Ryon down. “Guess we’ll be camping here for a while and hand over the kid to our Watchers at the checkpoint later.” Jensen nodding in agreement.

Osric quickly began making a lean-to, and he and Jared moved the sleeping child into it as soon as it was done.

The four Weres sat around the fire eating Jensen’s fat rabbit, two ptarmigan Felicia had snared earlier that day, and the rabbit Osric had caught in the nearby bramble patch. The same rabbit that had evaded Jared earlier. Seems small wolves are good at tunneling under painful thorn bushes.

To add insult to injury, Felicia showed Jared and Jensen their first Lark. It was a small velvet pouch filled with pungent cloves. Felicia had sniffed it out hanging from the branch of a tree, of all places. Embroidered onto one side of the pouch was a stylized picture of the state’s bird. The Meadowlark. Jared and Jensen wrinkled their noses at the strong smell.

“That’s it? We have to sniff out bags of cloves?” Jared asked eagerly, looking hopeful. “That should be easy for our wolves.”

Felicia and Osric looked at each other, smiling ruefully.

“The bag was hanging right under the biggest bee hive I’d ever seen.” Said Felicia, lips twisted in discomfort. “It was the smell of honey that drew my wolf first… you know I have a sweet tooth. It wasn’t ‘til we got within twenty feet of this huge three-topped oak that we were able to smell the bag and pinpoint its location. The meadowlark stitching clear as day on it.”

Osric took up the tale, leaning forward with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “It was near the top of the tree, and I offered to go up, but Fel had to prove herself.”

“Well, I got it didn’t I?”

“Yeah, and about a hundred stings!” Osric laughed. “After she snagged the bag she came flying out of that tree so fast you’d think she grew wings. She shifted and ran into the stream to escape the bees.”

“Thank Luna, for fast Were healing. Lumpy is SO not my style.” Felicia muttered, then added. “In either form.”

Jared and Jensen laughed imagining it all. Coming down from the laughter, they looked at each other, each silently conveying their worry that the first day was nearly done and they hadn’t found their first Meadowlark, yet.

Being the least tired of the four, Jensen volunteered to stay up and take watch as the others rested. He knew he’d have his chance to rest at the checkpoint.

Jared woke roughly two hours later to the feel of something tickling his nose and something wet slapping his cheek. He jerked slightly as his eyes snapped open to see both Ryon and Jensen smiling down at him. Jensen was holding a yellow flower that he’d obviously used to tickle Jared with, while Ryon had his hand in his mouth, sucking busily at his fingers.

“Hungwy, Jawed.” he said around his fingers, before pulling it out of his mouth and slapping Jared’s cheek. Jared guessed that was the something wet he’d felt hitting his cheek earlier. He grimaced in distaste even as he pulled the little boy toward him and began tickling him.

“Is that any way to wake a sleeping wolf, little kitten?” the little boy’s curly blonde hair framed his adorably plump face as he laughed delightedly. His sapphire blue eyes sparkling as he gazed up at Jared with adoration.

“And you, Mr. Ackles!” Jared growled playfully at Jensen. “What kind of a mate are you? Letting this little monster attack me?!” Jared froze as he realized what he’d just said.

Jared tore his eyes from Jensen’s, looking back at the giggling toddler in his lap. He finally noticed that Osric and Felicia were awake too when Ryon clambered off his lap to run to them as they entered the clearing carrying armfuls of pears and apples. Felicia waved and called ‘good morning, sunshine’ to him as she chomped down on a ripe pear.

Jared cleared his throat nervously as he collected his and Ryon’s wraps, preparing to leave the shelter. He froze as he felt Jensen’s large hand wrap around his upper arm, stopping him from leaving.

“Nuh-uh, beautiful. You don’t just say something like that and then run away. Not from me.”

“Jensen… I don’t – I didn’t mean to…”

“Don’t you dare tell me you didn’t mean it, Jared. Don’t insult me or yourself by trying to take it back. I know and you know that we belong to each other. Please… just… please stop.”

Jared’s eyes shot to Jensen’s as he heard the raw ache in Jensen’s voice. A crashing wave of undeniable need and desperate wanting overtook Jared’s senses. His body and his wolf yearning to bond with the other boy. His wolf whining entreaties between long drawn out whimpers for Jared to ease its pain. The pain of having one’s soulmate so close and yet so far.

Meeting Jensen’s beautiful, jade-like eyes, Jared gasped softly when he saw the same yearning pain in their green depths. The matching soul crying out for his.

Feeling as if hooks and ropes were falling away from him, Jared reached up to cup the sides of Jensen’s head and pulled him down. Jared’s soft, pink lips catching the plush, sinful ones of Jensen’s. Lips that he’d dreamed and obsessed over for what felt like forever. He finally let every block he’d put up crumble like dust, the two young men gasping in synch as their souls finally touched and bonded.

Jared knew their souls wouldn’t blend and become one until Jensen mated him, but already Jared felt as if a large piece he’d been missing inside him was sliding and locking into place. Jared opened his mouth wider and deepened their kiss, chills racing down his spine as Jensen let out a groan that verged on a growl.

“Mine.” Jensen murmured possessively against Jared’s lips.

“Yours.” The younger boy agreed simply.

When Jared had sat up, his wrap, that he’d used to cover himself, had pooled in his lap. Even so, his rampant erection was more than obvious and Jared was slightly surprised he didn’t feel an ounce of shame or self-consciousness. When one of Jensen’s hands ran up the outside of his thigh, Jared’s length twitched in excitement as the hand drew closer to it. The disappointed whine that escaped him when Jensen bypassed his straining tumescence and instead locked his large callused hand to the back of Jared’s neck, cut off with a deep moan of pure bliss as Jensen licked deep into Jared’s mouth, striving to map out and taste every inch of it.

Jared threw both arms around Jensen’s neck and pulled him down atop him, laying back so they were under the lean-to. “Don’t tease me.” He growled against Jensen’s smiling lips.

Jensen slipped one leg between Jared’s as he began lazily kissing along the younger man’s jaw and then down the side of his long, arched neck. His strong, muscled thigh rubbing deliciously against Jared’s hardened dick. "I want it bad too, baby. God, do I wanna touch you all over. Learn every inch of your incredible body and make it mine…” he paused to bite and suck at Jared’s pulse point, smiling when blood rushed to the surface, bruising the skin. He knew because of Were healing it wouldn’t last long, but he still loved seeing his mark on Jared. Pulling back slightly, he gazed down at Jared with lust and need darkening his eyes. “But now is not the time, and this is definitely not the place.”

As if to emphasize his point, they both heard the adorable giggle of Ryon as the little lynx Were toddled back over to squat right outside the lean-to, peering in at them.

“Whatcha doin’?” he asked, as Jared and Jensen turned their heads to stare at the toddler, their red faces nearly identical in color.

Recovering quicker, Jensen pretended to growl menacingly at the 3, maybe 4 year old child. “We were talking about the best ways to barbecue little annoying kitty cats! C’mere you… I’m starving!”

Knowing he was joking, Ryon giggled again and thumbed his nose at Jensen. “Ha ha, gorra catch me firs’” he taunted, before shifting into his lynx and scampering for the other side of the small clearing.

Jensen shifted on the fly as he bounded playfully after the little Were. Felicia walked over to Jared as he climbed out of the lean-to and deftly affixed his wrap around him. He was picking up Jensen’s and Ryon’s wrap when she cleared her throat loudly as she stopped a couple feet away and stared at Jared, thoughtfully.

By then, Jensen had cut off Ryon’s path before he could disappear into the brush, changing back to human form he snatched the little cub up and tossed him lightly into the air. Flashing back into human form, Ryon dropped back into Jensen’s waiting arms screaming with laughter.

Felicia took in Jared’s tender expression as he watched Jensen and Ryon play.

“Does he know you plan on going to college?” she asked, snapping Jared’s hazel gaze to her.

“Uh, no… we just… I just now accepted his suit. We haven’t talked about mating.”

“Jensen’s young, I know. But you know most alphas expect their mates to start a family right away and to stay home and take care of the children. I admit, I’ve never seen a better match like you two before, but what if he’s one of THOSE alphas?”

Jared’s eyes dropped, a deep unease bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

“Jared, I know we just met this year during survival classes, but I feel like I know you. You won’t be happy being the happy housewife. At least, not right now. Maybe years down the road, but I know you were really looking forward to going to college and starting a career as a social worker. You need to set things straight with him before you two go any further. Before it’s too late.”

Jared looked back at Jensen and Ryon, the Alpha looked up from tickling the little boy and beamed happily at Jared. As Jared felt his heart throb almost painfully in his chest, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was already too late.

****************************************

Couple of hours after accepting most of the fruit from Osric and Felicia, the two groups had gone their separate ways. Jared and Jensen had taken turns carrying Ryon on their backs, the were-lynx too small even in his were form to keep up with two grown wolves. As they walked, they both tried to keep all their senses open for a Meadowlark of some kind, but to no avail. At the checkpoint, after reporting to Matt and Anna all that had happened earlier that day, they prepared for the night.

Jensen had headed out to catch more game for their dinner, while Jared went to a nearby field to see if he could snare anything in case Jensen’s hunting came up short.

The Watchers refused to keep an eye on Ryon for them, stating that he and Jensen found him so he was their responsibility. Jared found it aggravating and yet amusing that the Watchers were refusing to watch. And so Jared had taken the little boy with him. They did promise to call in to base to report the little lost cub, but that was as far as they would go to help.

Turned out to be a good thing in the end that Jared took Ryon along. Jared soon learned that despite his tender age, the resilient little boy was an amazing tracker. His sense of smell was more acute than Jared’s and he’d been the one to find a trail in a sparsely grassed field not too far from their camp. Jared had ended up with two fat ermine to take back for dinner.

The Watchers had also informed them that they had their own food and won’t be sharing camp with them anyways, so Jared felt that they had enough to eat if you added in the fruit from Osric and Felicia. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Jensen had also been successful in his endeavors and had brought back an even bigger rabbit than the one he’d caught earlier, and had already built and set up a fire pit.

Later, sated, bones buried deep, far from their camp, all three of them washed up with water from their canteens and settled into a small den Jared and Jensen had created by weaving the branches of a small willow tree together and then weighing down the ends with small boulders.

Ryon had dutifully sat to the side as they worked and then helped to clear out the dead leaves inside their temporary shelter. By the time they removed their wraps to use as covers, the light in the early evening sky began to fade and darkness fell. The only light coming from their now low-burning and banked fire pit.

They had Ryon between them and it didn’t take long for the exhausted little boy to drop off to sleep.

“He’s such an amazing little guy, isn’t he?” Jared whispered, knowing Jensen was still awake, his keen wolf sight using the little light from the fire to make out Jensen’s beautiful, relaxed countenance. He watched adoringly as Jensen smiled down at the little boy snoring softly between them.

“Jensen?”

“Yeah?”

“We didn’t find a Lark today.”

“Not everyone finds their first item right away, Jared. You don’t have to worry.”

“I know.”

“So what are you really worrying about?”

“Us.”

“We’re soulmates, Jare. You don’t need to worry about us.”

“I don’t want pups!” Jared blurted out, a little too loudly, making Ryon twitch and shift over in his sleep, before settling again pressed up against Jensen.

There was a tense silence emanating from Jensen. Jared hurried to explain.

“I know I want to mate, but I also wanna go to college. I wanna be a social worker. Work with kids, help to make a difference in their lives. I mean, I love kids and would love to have some of my own…”

“Just not with me.” Jensen gritted out in a hoarse whisper.

Jared’s eyes flew wide, and he pressed in on Jensen, making sure not to squash the little boy between them. He cupped the side of Jensen’s face and brought their faces closer together so he could stare intently into Jensen’s eyes.

“Of course, with you. ONLY with you! You are going to be my Alpha and you are the only one I would ever wanna have pups with. I just meant I don’t wanna have ‘em now. While still in high school and college.”

Jensen sighed gustily as he understood.

“Jen… I don’t know exactly what our future will be. I just know that I’ve dreamed for years of going to college to learn all I could to help children in need, and then coming back here to the Pack and helping our people.”

Jensen leaned over Ryon to catch Jared’s lips in a hot, searing kiss. He then pressed their foreheads together and sighed softly. “Jared, I would never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. If college is your dream, I wanna help you reach it. If you wanna hold off on a family after we mate, I am perfectly fine with it.”

“Do you mean it?”

“My silly Omega. Haven’t you figured out how much I love you by now? I’d get you the moon if I could.”

“You know, you’re pretty sappy for an Alpha.”

Jared laughed softly as Jensen reached up to flick his nose gently.

“You’re a bad influence on me.” Said Jensen.


	6. "Because adaptation is part of the challenge..."

Jared was livid. He paced back and forth in front of their little makeshift shelter, shooting heated glares at the Watcher, Matt. Jensen standing to the side, arms folded, looking just as angry.

“What do you MEAN you can’t call the chopper?!” Jared asked for what felt like the millionth time.

Sighing, Matt rubbed his eyes with the fingers of one hand as he strived to keep a hold of his own temper. “Calling the chopper is reserved for emergency purposes only. They will only come in, with no repercussions to your hunt, if one of us was injured too badly to continue. Calling them in now would signify defeat and you two would be out of the game.”

“But we found a lost child. Isn’t that considered enough of an emergency?” Jensen demanded, his voice deep with exasperation and anger. He felt as if they’d been going at this for house, when it had only been about 20 minutes of Jared arguing with the two Watchers.

“No.”

“No?!” Jared exploded, altering his path, stalking towards Matt with clenched fists.

Anna stepped between them and held out one hand to the advancing omega, stopping him in his tracks.

“Jared! You need to calm down! Matt is telling the truth. We’re not trying to be obstructive, we’re trying to help you win this Hunt.”

“FUCK this Hunt, there is a child in need! If you guys don’t wanna help, I’ll carry him back to the starting point myself. Jensen can keep looking for the Larks and I’ll catch up to him, later. Or maybe one of you can take him back? Jensen and I can search in this area and wait for you?”

“We took an oath, Jared.” Matt gritted out. “I know you could care less, but being a Watcher is a time-honored and sacred duty. We swore that as long as one of our charges is out here hunting, we won’t abandon them for any reason besides severe injury or death! It was a blood oath!”

Jensen inhaled sharply at that. “A blood oath? I never knew being a Watcher was that serious.”

For a Were, to give a blood oath is a matter of life and death. It was never done lightly, and was considered the most ultimate of promises. If an adult Were violated their blood oath, that Were would begin to sicken and eventually die, unless he or she found a way to fulfill that oath.”

“It’s not an advertised fact.” Anna said. “Which is why only the most dedicated of Weres become Watchers. And if you or Jensen go back without all 3 Larks, Jared, then you automatically lose.”

Jensen got a thoughtful look on his face as Jared dropped to the grass in front of the shelter. Ryon, who’d been chasing a butterfly nearby skipped back to the campsite and threw himself into Jared’s arms.

Smiling sadly down at the little boy in his lap, Jared looked back up at the Watchers and sighed defeatedly. “Send up the white.” He said softly yet clearly, meaning for Matt or Anna to shoot off their white flare, signifying that they were calling it quits.

“Are you sure, Jared? You know once you’ve joined a Hunt, win or lose, you can’t compete again.” Asked Anna, her voice rife with sorrow, as Matt just stood there and frowned in disapproval.

“What else can we do? We can’t take Ryon on a Hunt. It can be real dangerous out here.”

“He’ll have both of you to watch over him.” Matt gritted through his teeth.

Just then a loud boom was heard. Turning as one, they all watched as the large burst of a red flare spread across the sky roughly 20 miles northwest of where they were standing.

“Oh no.” Jared murmured in dread. “That’s the direction Oz and Felicia went.”

Turning back to Matt and Anna, Jared pointed up at the flare, his gaze intense. “See?! Oz and Fel were well-trained for this and one or both of them are already calling in aid. One of them could be dead for all we know! How could you expect us to put Ryon at risk like that?”

“Jared.” Jensen said, trying to calm him down.

“NO, JENSEN! Most Weres may think that the Annual Hunts are the end-all and be-all of our society, but I am not one of them! I will not risk that little boy’s life! He’s more important than some stupid Hunt!”

Matt and Anna nodded acquiescently, yet there was still a fierce light shining in Matt’s eyes, the older Omega staring at Jared as if trying to tell him something.

“Jared, STOP!” Jensen shouted, using the full timbre of his Head Alpha voice, something he’d done only once before in his life, since he’d hit puberty and presented. The throaty reverberant growl laced into his words, echoed outward in waves.

Giving in to pure instinct; Jared, Matt and Anna dropped to their hands and knees and turned their heads to bare the sides of their necks in submission towards Jensen. Little Ryon who’d been standing to the side, staring at Jared as he raged, clapped his hands to his ears and began crying.

Immediately guilt-stricken, Jensen rushed to pick up the toddler, pulling him tight against his chest, patting his small back as Ryon rested his cheek on Jensen’s shoulder, crying as if his heart was breaking. “Why you mad?” he asked, through hitched sobs. “Scay-wee man an’ lady make Ja-wed yell. Make dem go, Jen-sing. Don’ be mad at Ja-wed.”

“I’m not mad at Jared, little man. I was just trying to get his attention.” Glancing back at the other three, Jensen’s wolf growled in approval to see that they were still in their submissive poses. Jensen pushed back his wolf exasperatedly and sighed. “You can get up, guys. I’m sorry for losing it like that.”

The three didn’t move a muscle. Rolling his eyes slightly, Jensen kept hold of Ryon as he walked up to the three on the ground. He tapped the sides of Matt’s and Anna’s necks, then walked around to rest his full palm on the back of Jared’s neck, guiding him up as he got to his feet, blinking his amazing eyes dazedly. Matt and Anna were no better. Anna even wobbling on her feet a bit. Matt came to his senses first and reached out to steady her with one hand.

Once Jensen was sure Jared was fully back, he guided Jared closer to him and kissed his soft, pink lips gently. Humming when Jared immediately responded, pressing closer to Jensen. “I’m sorry for losing control of my voice, baby” Jensen said softly, kissing the corners of Jared’s mouth gently. “I don’t use it that often and I sometimes forget how strong it is.”

“Please don’t ever do that to me, again.” Jared said tremulously, shocked at how easily his own will was overpowered.

“Unless it’s to save you or keep you from harm, I will never use it on you again. I promise.”

“Holy shit, Ackles.” Matt exclaimed, shaking his head side to side. “I’ve heard of a Head Alpha’s Compel ability, but I never knew it would be that strong. And this from an Alpha who’s never tested or practiced it? You’d be a force to be reckoned with if you got control of it!”

“It’s not a weapon, Cohen.” 

“But it COULD be!” the black-haired Omega gushed.

“Enough. Let’s get back to what to do with Ryon.”

Like that, Jared’s ire returned. However, he kept his temper in check as he turned back to the Watchers. Before he could speak, Jensen held up one hand, the look in his eyes asking Jared to wait.

“I was trying to say earlier… what if Ryon is part of the Hunt?”

“Wha-? That’s ridiculous ---”

“YES, FINALLY!” Matt cut Jared off, a look of great relief on his and Anna’s face.

Jared and Jensen just stared at Matt in confusion.

Anna pulled her radio out of its holder and held up one finger to Matt. “I’m gonna check in and see what’s up with that red flare, while you explain.” Matt nodded in agreement.

“Explain what?” Jensen prodded Matt.

“The Hunt has a new designer this year by the name of Gamble. She’s added some new things. It’s no longer just a scavenger hunt, it’s more like… think of it more like an obstacle course. Every single detail has been planned out. Every scenario they could think of, mapped out and planned for.”

Jared stared in shock at Matt, eyes wide, mouth gaping slightly. “But that’s not fair! Every single Hunter out here has strategized around a simple seek and survive objective. That’s the way it’s always been! Why didn’t they inform us that it was changed?”

“Because adaptation is part of the challenge. You had to question an aspect of the change before your Watchers could come clean.” Matt looked up at Anna who was making her way back to them, before continuing. “The moment Jensen questioned Ryon’s presence being a possible challenge, he unlocked our tongues, so to speak. This Hunt will now not only test your Were skills and endurance; but also your character, your intelligence and as I said earlier, your adaptability.”

Anna smiled at Jared, real warmth shining in her bright, brown eyes. “And Jared, the way you were willing to give up the Hunt to get Ryon to safety is a big plus towards your character. Not to mention, both of you showing compassion and caring for him from the moment you found him. Your friends Felicia and Osric probably gained points from their Watchers for helping with him, as well.”

Reminded of his friends, Jared turned a worried gaze on Anna. “What did you find out about the flare, Anna, is it them?”

“Sorry, Jared. It is.”

“Oh no.” Jared whispered, whole body tensing up, face wreathed in worry. Jensen stepped over to wrap a supporting arm around his shoulders as he continued holding Ryon with his other arm. Jared rested his head on Jensen’s shoulder as he stared at Anna with trepidation.

“What happened?” asked Jensen. Ryon, seeing that Jared was upset reached over to pet Jared’s hair. The little lynx Were doing his best to comfort his tall, new friend.

“They were attacked by a pair of wild mountain lions. Osric tried to protect Felicia and got mauled pretty badly. But not before managing to break the leg of the male lion, putting him out of commission. Felicia and Batty Patty shifted and stood guard over him. They were able to hold off the female until their Watchers arrived and took it down with a tranq gun.”

“Batty Patty? Isn’t she the homeless woman that sits on the sidewalk outside the Cool Spot Diner saying ‘hi’ to everyone that passes by?”

“Yes, like Ryon is to you two, she was a challenge for them. She was not to interfere, but who could fault her for being a caring pack member? When she saw Osric go down, she acted.”

“She’s not homeless.” Jared added, glancing up at Jensen. “She named herself Batty Patty. Her entire family died in a fire two years ago. She can’t stand staying home alone all day, even if we managed to repair all the damages from the fire. She’s Pack, and we’d never let her be homeless or lonely. Many have sat with her on that sidewalk to keep her company, even me. We watch over her and we don’t let outsiders bother her.” Jared said, as he raised his head and wiped at the tears that had gathered in his eyes upon hearing about Felicia and Osric, and turned his attention back to Anna. “Will Osric be okay?”

“I don’t know, Jared.” Anna said, sorrow plain on her pretty face. “He’s in the Goddess’ hands now.”

“So what are you going to do? Will you head back in with Ryon or continue on?”

Jared looked at Jensen, torn, not sure what to do. The look he gave Jensen a plea for guidance.

Jensen’s inner wolf growled with approval. The Alpha wolf deeming it right that his mate depended on him for help. Jensen saw it as a small victory towards his goal of claiming Jared’s heart. Jensen had known instinctually that Jared was his one true mate. Going into this Hunt, he’d made it his priority to make Jared his. Winning the Hunt was merely a perk, a gift of sorts for Jared.

“First, what is the deal with Ryon? I doubt the Hunt council just goes around picking random people as challenges. Even if he’s not Pack, why would they endanger the life of a 3-year-old?”

“Fouuur.” Ryon said, holding up three fingers, while using his other hand to push a fourth finger up. “Wyon, four!”

“First off, Ryon and his parents ARE Pack.” Matt answered, smirking at the surprised looks on Jared’s and Jensen’s faces. “In the Lynx Were packs, homosexuality is not condoned and even considered unnatural to most of them. His parents were driven out and they’d been living in the wilds out here since before Ryon was born. Coach Manners met them a couple years back and has taken a liking to them. He’s been helping them out as much as he could.”

Anna dropped into a squat and began picking what flowers were in reach around her. Seeing what she was doing, Ryon squirmed to be let down, and he immediately rushed to her side to help her.

“Mommy-Daddy like da bwoo ones.” He said, happily, as he deftly began picking the tiny, delicate little bluebells.

“When Manners heard about the need for Challenges in this Hunt, he went to Ryon’s parents, but not before getting some concessions from the Lebanon officials.” She said, continuing where Matt had left off. “Manners got them an offer of a permanent place in the Lebanon Pack, along with a modest home and jobs if they want them. Ryon will also be allowed to attend the schools here. They agreed.”

“Still… he’s only four.” Jared muttered, unable to accept that part. “It’s so dangerous out here. Who are his parents and how could they agree to this?”

“Ryon’s parents are Cesar and Jesse Cuevas.”

Jared and Jensen both gasped in surprise. Cesar and Jesse Cuevas were renowned survival experts and wilderness guides. They were even known in the human world, and often asked for help with search and rescue efforts.

In the Lynx community, homosexuality wasn’t only illegal, it was considered an aberration, and any male Lynxes born beta were considered abominations and were either abandoned or killed at birth. Lynx males were usually born Alphas and females were always Betas. Lynxes, unlike Wolves, don’t have Omegas.

The Lynx Weres have never had large numbers and even came close to extinction a few times in history. They made the push to build and maintain their numbers the core of their existence. And to be mated to the same sex was considered tantamount to treason in a community that valued their young above all.

“I know them.” Jensen said. “They trained my dad and when I turned twelve, he took me to train with them for one summer. They weren’t mated back then, but I knew that they were different from regular Lynxes. My dad always told me to just keep my mouth shut about it. Which one’s the Beta? It’s Jesse, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s Jesse. But Beta or not, anyone thinking of messing with him…”

“Would regret it, BIG time!” laughed Jensen. “He taught me hand-to-hand combat. He landed me on my back more times than I’d care to recall. He’s amazing! But I’m curious – I’m an Alpha. Even at twelve, I should’ve sensed he was a Beta.”

“Suppressants, Jared.” Matt rumbled, exasperatedly. “Remember, male betas aren’t accepted in the Lynx Packs. Unlike how loved and respected our rare species of Omegas are. Male beta lynxes usually go on supps to hide their state, risking their fertility to do so. Suppressants were never meant for long term usage. Some beta lynxes just leave their packs and go it alone in the wild, just as Jesse and Cesar did when Jesse got pregnant with Ryon. I think the general Lynx community and their narrow-minded, bigoted views are what’s killing them off as a species. All male betas have been proven to be VERY fertile. Most of them bearing large litters.”

“That’s fine, and I applaud them for making their own way. But I’m still not sure about taking such a young were with us, Matt. He’s just a baby.”

“Jared.” Anna butt in. “That ‘baby’ could probably run circles around you out here. He started training with his parents before he could even walk in his human form. Besides, even if we can’t sense them, I can pretty much guarantee that both Cesar and Jesse are out there right now, watching over their son. Ryon’s a tough lil cuss and knows this land like the back of his hand.”

“He was crying and lost when we found him.”

“Pwetend…” little Ryon piped up as he walked back to Jared, a small flower wreath in his hand. He held it up to Jared, and the tall omega knelt down so that the little boy could place it on his head, like it was a crown.

“Did you make that all by yourself, buddy?” Jared praised. “And what do you mean ‘pretend’.”

“Daddy-Mommy and Daddy-Daddy teach. Pwetend scairt hooman. Sometime huntas no hurt scairt hoomans.”

Jensen laughed softly. “They taught him to play possum.”

“Mommy-Daddy say Ja-wed and Jen-sing is nice. Ja-wed VERY nice and pwetty. Ja-wed my mate.” The little boy said confidently, pointing at the flower crown he’d put on Jared.

Jensen’s eyes flew wide. “Excuse me?! I don’t think so, little man.” Stepping closer, he snatched the crown off of Jared.

Frowning adorably, Ryon leaned in to sniff Jared’s neck, the omega still crouched in front of him and struggling to hold back his laughter.

“Not mated. My cat know! I claim Ja-wed!” the little boy shouted, stamping one bare little foot on the ground. He reached out one chubby hand for the flower crown, his golden gaze demanding Jensen give it back.

“I don’t believe this!” Jensen threw his hands up in the air then handed the crown to Jared when he reached out a hand for it. “Even out here in the middle of nowhere, you still manage to pick up an admirer.”

“I can’t help it if I’m all kinds of awesome.” Jared said, laughing softly. He took the crown from Jensen and held it out to Ryon.

“You are the coolest cat ever, little man, and I’d be honored to be your mate. But I already promised to be Jensen’s. And promises are very important.” He snuck a look at Jensen and noticed the shocked, yet pleased look on the older boy’s face. “One day, when you grow up to be a strong, good man… you will find your true mate, and he or she will wear your crown of flowers proudly.”

Ryon pouted as he took back the crown. “I know… Daddies say I need to wait ‘til am older. Vewy bad to bweak pwomise.” Then he turned a glare on Jensen even as he continued talking to Jared. “But if Jen-sing make you cwy, or don buy you pwetty t’ings. I mate you. Give you all my toys, ‘kay Ja-wed?”

Jared smiled with delight at the little charmer, but nodded in agreement. Matt snorted in amusement even as Anna bent over in silent laughter, her arms wrapped around her midsection. Jensen just looked grumpy as he stared down the little Alpha Lynx. His brows shot up in surprise as the little boy growled and then spat a hiss at him before turning and stomping away.

“The nerve! And the name is Jensen, not Jen-sing!” Jensen growled. “Should’ve left the little ingrate where we found him! Moving in on my omega.”

“Not yos YET!” Ryon called over from the other side of the clearing. He stuck his tongue out at Jensen and then went back to watching the progress of a lady bug nibbling at a leaf.

“You quit sniffing around my omega, brat!” Jensen shouted taking a step towards the laughing little boy. Jared blocked his path, throwing his arms around Jensen’s shoulders, and laying a soft, sweet kiss on Jensen’s plush, firm lips.

“That’s enough. We have a Hunt to win. All three of us.” Jared stated firmly, bright hazel eyes staring determinedly into jade greens. Jensen nodded, jaw setting with equal determination.

“So we’re definitely taking that pain in the ass with us?”

“I thought you liked him?”

“I did, until he tried to take you from me.” Jensen mock pouted, the corners of his mouth twitching as he fought back laughter.

“You’re a silly, silly Alpha.”

“Am I your silly Alpha, Jared?.”

“Yes, mine.”

Jensen couldn’t fight the tidal wave of happiness, and he beamed so brightly at Jared, it literally stole Jared’s breath.

A part of Jared still feared giving in to Jensen because he knew the older boy had the potential to totally destroy Jared. But a bigger part of him just wanted to spend the rest of his life making that smile an everyday thing.

“I’m wondering now if the council made any other changes to the Hunt.” Muttered Jensen, covering up the blush traveling up his chest and neck as he took in the adoring look Jared was sending him.

“Finally, GODDESS! Waiting around for you two to figure stuff out can’t be good for my heart!” shouted Matt.


	7. "Either I trust you, or I don't..."

Couple of hours later, Jensen was even more irritated with the little lynx that was easily keeping up with Jared and Jensen as they loped in wolf form through the picturesque woodland and meadows, heading in the general direction of their next checkpoint.

Thinking about the time they’d lost carrying the little boy earlier caused him to huff out an irritated breath. Angling in to his side, Jared bumped shoulders gently with Jensen, his thoughts amused.

-I can practically hear you fuming.- came Jared’s wolfspeak in his mind.

In wolf form, Jared was all legs with a sinuous lean build that Jensen found both beautiful and sexy in a distracting way. He was bigger than Jared in mass and a mere inch taller though, so Jared’s bump barely registered with Jensen. Jared’s scent however, as the hours passed, was getting near intoxicating and it served to only heighten Jensen’s agitation.

-Tell me you’re not still grumpy ‘cos of Ryon.-

-I’m not grumpy. Only cranky coots and pregnant betas get grumpy.-

-Well, unless you grew a uterus in the last few hours, you must’ve aged dramatically, old man.- Jared chuffed, teasingly.

Jensen felt his mood lightening at Jared’s playfulness. He found it just as intriguing as one of his bratty fits.

“Ja-wed!” Ryon called out behind them.

Both wolves came to a stop and turned around. Jared quickly shifting, removing his wrap from his leg and whipping it around him as he made his way back to the little boy who was stopped and was sniffing the air.

Grumbling to himself about tiny bladders, Jensen followed Jared’s actions and made his way over to the little boy.

“Smell somefin’ funny.” Said Ryon, sticking his nose in the air again, wrinkling his little button nose as if he’d caught the smell of something rotten.

Dropping to his hands and knees beside Ryon, Jared took a big sniff then jerked in surprise. The little lynx had taken to weaving around the slimmer trees along the edge of the small copse of woods they’d been traveling thru, which is probably why he’d picked up the scent that Jensen could now smell. He looked at Jared just as the younger boy looked up at him, his eyes shining with excitement.

“Cloves!” they said at the same time.

Jensen stepped past them and jogged off into the small meadow bordering the woods, Jared and Ryon following after. “Awesome nose, buddy!” he grinned back at Ryon, all irritation with the little lynx forgotten.

“Clofes? Why we looking for smelly people’s clofes?” the little boy asked.

“CloVes. It’s something people use for cooking, big guy.” Jared laughed, correcting the boy as he took one of his hands to hurry him up as Jensen’s pace quickened.

Up ahead, Jensen could hear the sound of fast rushing water even as the scent got stronger. Soon, he found himself on a rocky embankment and groaning as he took in the area before him.

Jared and Ryon came to a skidding stop at his side and gaped along with him at the wide, turbulent river before them. Jensen reasoned that it was the source from where the little stream they’d camped at earlier had come from. But this was definitely not a sweet little stream that he could just jump over, wolf form or not.

“Don’t tell me we have to cross that!” Jared gasped in shock.

“No, just halfway.” Jensen answered with a grim tone, pointing at the largest boulder in the center of the river. It had a flat top and smack dab in the center was a small bag similar to the one Felicia and Osric had found, complete with an embroidered meadowlark in white, showing clearly on its side.

Ryon suddenly wrapped himself around one of Jared’s legs. “I don’t like baffs, Ja-wed! My cat don’t likes big watahs.”

“Don’t worry, buddy. Even if wolves love water, Jen and I still wouldn’t jump in that.” He turned to stare at Jensen incredulously. “How are we supposed to get it… fly?!”

Sensing a presence coming up behind them, Jensen whirled, shifting instantaneously into his third shape. A werewolf.

All Weres can shift between their animal and human shapes, but it’s always one or the other. Some can even show wolf traits while in human form, like claws, fangs and eyes. But only a Head Alpha Were can shift into the form that had spawned centuries old legends, countless books and hundreds of movies. That of a half man, half animal. In Jensen’s case, half wolf.

He had grown to over 7 feet tall, looked to be about 100 lbs heavier, and he was massively muscled everywhere. The only sign that this nightmarish monster was the Jensen that Jared was fast falling in love with, were the slightly glowing green eyes.

He turned his back to Jared and Ryon, shielding them as his enraged glowing eyes fixed on a section of brush not more than thirty feet away. Lips rippling back from large, scythe-like teeth, Jensen roared a challenge at what only he could sense.

Ryon had by then leaped into Jared’s arms, his eyes wide with shock and fear. Jared held him close as he just stared at the back of Jensen’s massive heavily furred back, watching the muscles flex and bulge as Jensen held his long, large arms out to his sides, took a step forward and leaned forward to roar even louder. Ryon jumped and buried his face in the side of Jared’s neck, his racing heart matching Jared’s.

Trusting his instinct, Jared stepped to Jensen’s side and laid a trembling hand on Jensen’s lightly furred arm. The beast twitched and turned to snarl at Jared. Snatching his hand back, Jared paled and stepped back.

Recognizing his soon to be mate, Jensen whined in a guttural tone and turned one massive clawed hand upwards and held it out. An apology plain in his gaze as he looked at Jared. Jensen could smell Jared’s fear mixed in with his usual delicious smell and hated that he’d been the one to cause that fear. He chuffed contentedly when reach out one trembling hand and took Jensen’s hand. Jensen pulled him to his side slowly, making sure to position him slightly behind him. The need to protect from the unknown threat still running strong in him. He turned to glare at the same brush, a building growl working its way up his massive chest. He felt Jared pat his chest to get his attention, cutting off his growl he turned his head to look down at his precious mate and the frail innocent child in his arms.

“Jensen, calm down.” He said, softly, reassuringly, before turning to stare at the same patch of brush Jensen had his gaze locked on. “We know you’re there. Come out now or I’m letting Jensen bring you out - and I don’t think you’d like that very much.”

From behind the bush came two large, male lynxes.

“Daddy-daddies!” Ryon cried out before shifting and slipping out of Jared’s arms.

As soon as his paws hit the ground, Ryon was off bounding happily towards the much larger lynxes, both a pale tan color with black streaks along their sides, black bars down their legs and short tails. Black tipped ears with white highlighting the features of their faces and chests. One was a lighter tan than the other, and was also slightly larger. Both adults were much larger than the typical bobcats, or –lynx rufus- as Jared knew their species to be, but were still much smaller than the smallest of full grown wolves.

Jensen gave a growl of displeasure at Ryon leaving them, but began to shift back into human when he recognized the couple and saw how tenderly they treated the little boy; Jared snatched up Jensen’s wrap and draped it around him, even as he turned back to stare in mild awe at the little family.

“Jesse, Cesar? Is that you? It’s me Jensen.” Jensen said, the glow in his eyes diminishing as his wolf receded even more.

The bigger bobcat turned to look at him with beautiful golden eyes. Turning, it ducked back behind the brush they’d been hiding behind and a tall, muscled handsome man came walking back out a few seconds later, securing a wrap similar to theirs around him as he walked back towards his husband and son.

Reaching them, he nodded at the other bobcat who left Ryon with him and went to change. As soon as he was back with them, he stared at Jensen with a look of awe and trepidation. He leaned over to whisper in Jesse’s ear and the two began a quiet, hushed argument.

Not wanting to interrupt, Jensen felt compelled to when he picked up with his keen hearing the darker man’s hissed words. ‘We were never told he was a werewolf too. What if he’d hurt Ryon?’

“I’d never hurt the cub.” Jensen called out to them, both were-lynxes turning to stare at him. “You guys know me, you trained me and taught me about protecting the weak. I swear to you, I’d protect him with my life if I had to.”

“So would I.” added Jared. “I’m Omega, it’s my instinct to be especially protective of young ones.”

“Daddy, I not afwaid of Jen-sing. Ja-wed good wolf. He pwomised to Jen-sing. Good wolf only like good wolf.”

Unable to keep himself from smiling at his son, Cesar raised one amused brow. “Even when he turns into a big, scary wolfman?”

Ryon blushed noticeably, recalling how he’d jumped into Jared’s arms, then he firmed his little jaw determinedly. “Yes, not afwaid of even big, smelly Jen-sing.”

-smelly?!- Jensen muttered so that only Jared heard him.

Fighting off a laugh, Jared poked him in the ribs with an elbow, causing the older boy to grunt in surprise.

“Anyways…” Jared said loudly, turning his attention back on the bobcat family. “You two are obviously Jesse and Cesar Cuevas, Ryon’s parents. I’m Jared Padalecki, Jensen’s Promised and seeing as how he isn’t going to introduce us any time soon, hope you don’t mind me taking the initiative.”

Jensen couldn’t help but puff his chest out with pride at Jared openly claiming him as his Promised, but still grimaced at his lapse in manners. “Sorry.” He muttered.

The two newcomers stepped up to them. Giving them both warm handshakes and smiles. “Sorry about what I said. I’ve just never met a true Head Alpha before.” Cesar said to Jensen, who only waved off his apology.

“Why were you guys stalking us?” Jared asked.

“Not stalking. Just being cautious. Old habit.” Jesse said. “We have an agreement with the council that once a day, Ryon spends time with us, being as young as he is. We were just coming to collect him, when Jensen here ‘wolfed out’. You didn’t have this ability when you were twelve. I’d have remembered.”

“I wasn’t able to back then. It came on around my 16th birthday. I worked with another Head Alpha in learning to control it for a couple of weeks, and believe me, I’ve got it well in hand.”

“Very impressed with how you knew we were here, even with our stealth skills and being downwind.”

“How did you do that?” spoke up Cesar, curious.

Jensen blushed slightly, and shrugged. “Uh, I could hear your breaths and your heartbeats.”

Jesse and Cesar nodded, impressed. Shaking his head, Jesse bent down and took Ryon into his arms. “Well, It was nice seeing you again Jensen, and meeting you too, Jared. We know you two have a hunt item to collect and this one needs a proper meal and some real rest. We’ll bring him back to you when you reach the checkpoint. Good luck.” He then turned to leave, Ryon already nestling into his arms, head laid comfortably on the man’s shoulders.

“Yeah, good luck you two. We’ve got a hundred on you two to win. Don’t let us down!” Cesar called to them, as he turned to follow his mate and son.

Jared waved them off then turned back to Jensen with an eager bounce. “So how are we gonna get that bag?”

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

“Jared, I don’t like this.” Jensen grumbled, staring worriedly at the wet rocks that led towards the boulder in a meandering fashion. “I still think I should go for it. I’m stronger and a better swimmer.”

Jared rolled his eyes, kneeling at the edge of the rocky bank, tying his and Jensen’s wraps together. “I can swim, Jensen, I promise. And besides, this is not a thing that requires strength.”

“Yeah, but only in pools, lakes and streams.” Jensen growled. “I’ve had hard survival training from my father and from two of the best survivalists who you just met, by the way! If you fall in, the water is moving too fast, I’d never be able to catch you.”

“Then I won’t fall in.”

“Jared.” Jensen growled, voice deepening, a notch below his Alpha voice.

“Jensen.” Jared returned, exasperation plain in his tone. “I have training too. Cheerleading doesn’t just make you shout louder and teach you how to dance. I am lighter than you, flexible, quick and spend a lot of time climbing and jumping. Why don’t you believe in me? I can do this!”

“Okay, okay!” Jensen said, throwing his hand up in defeat. “Either I trust you or I don’t… and I do trust you. And I do believe in you. I’m just scared for you. Can’t lose you.”

“I know. Now here, take this.” Jared said, standing up. He took a second to run his gaze down then back up Jensen’s naked form, the corners of his lips rising as he caught Jensen doing the same to him. Even with the both of them getting used to being naked around each other, it didn’t lessen the pleasure or lust they felt for each other.

Jared handed one end of the wraps he’d tied together in a makeshift rope. “I know it’s not long enough, but I’ll hold my end, you hold yours, and it should give me some stability over the smaller rocks that are closer to shore. I’ll let go when I get to the bigger rocks and you can pull it back in.”

Jensen grunted in acknowledgement. 

Jared hopped to the nearest rock, and Jensen watched worriedly as he quickly hopped to the next. “Slow down.” Jensen snapped.

“I got it, baby.”

The warm feeling of being called ‘baby’ only assuaged his worry for a second or two then he was back to watching Jared intently.

Five rocks in, Jared let go of his end of their ‘rope’ and turned to see Jensen reeling it in and draping it around his neck. Jared found the rest of the way to the boulder laughably easy, thankful for his impeccable balance and agility.

He had to jump for the big boulder, which was about 5 feet higher, and 3 feet away from the rock he was standing on. He grimaced as his stomach and the front of his thighs scraped the rocks, as he angled his body so that he didn’t scrape his genitals too.

He made it to his feet on top of the boulder and grinned happily as he snatched up the little pouch.

“Are you okay? I smell blood.” Jensen called to him.

“I’m fine. Just scrapes. Nothing that won’t heal in seconds.”

He turned to hold the bag up in victory, grinning madly at Jensen, unaware of the turmoil of emotions now crashing through Jensen’s body. The way Jared stood with his feet slightly apart, hip jutted out to one side, while placing his empty hand on the other hip was near mesmerizing with the woods behind him as a backdrop, made one hell of a sexy picture. As sexy a pose as Jensen has ever seen, compounded by the knowledge that Jared had done it without thought to his nudity.

Jensen was happy that Jared was getting comfortable enough with him to no longer care about whether he was properly clothed or not. And it was not that either boy had grown inured to the sight of each other’s body, it was that in one day of running the wild woodland, hills and prairies, their instinctive pack mentality was coming to the fore, superseding the tamed mindset learned with their civilized upbringing. Nudity was not something to be embarrassed about, and it wasn’t an open invitation for sex.

“Okay now baby, quit dancing around and get your cute butt back here. Be careful dropping back on the stepping stone, Jay.” Jensen commanded, worry for his mate making his tone gruff.

Jared is very careful dropping back onto the biggest stepping stone. He then makes hopping back across towards Jensen look effortless and graceful. The semi-hard bobbing of his bare cock not going unnoticed by the older boy. Apparently, his mate had a thing for being called ‘baby’ or having his ass referred to as ‘cute’. Maybe both.

Jared came to a stop on the last stone, which was still a good four foot jump away from the bank. He paused to toss the bag of cloves at Jensen and did a little wiggle of his hips. “Like taking candy from a baby.” He crowed, smugly.

Jensen caught the bag and tossed it over his shoulder, knowing it would land safely on the grass behind him. His eyes were still locked on Jared who was doing a rather comical rendition of the cabbage patch dance. Even as he was fighting back a laugh, Jensen couldn’t help but let his eyes rove every inch of Jared’s golden tanned perfect body. The boy’s dedication to cheerleading showing in the subtle strength of his leanly muscled legs and arms, the firm, broad spread of his shoulders and the clearly defined six pack abs. Giving in to a short bark of laughter, he held out the joined wraps and motioned for Jared to take hold.

“Get over here, you silly pup. You’re giving me white hair AND a hard on. You can do your victory dance over her on firm... Jared!” Jensen’s soft, mirthful voice ratcheted up to a shout as the stone Jared was standing on suddenly shifted and began tilting the tall omega towards the roiling, rushing river behind him.

Jensen stepped up to the very edge of the stony bank and whipped the wraps outwards, keeping a firm hold on one end. “Grab it, baby!” he shouts, desperately.

One of Jared’s flailing hands catches the wrap, and as soon as Jensen feels he’s got a good grip, he gives an almighty yank, Jared practically flying off the rock and towards the bank.

As Jared falls safely to the stony shore, he feels the wrap tear out of his hand and hears a loud splash behind him. Whipping around, still on his hands and knees, he sees the wrap being yanked down into the maelstrom of the dangerously swift, whitewater rapids. Jensen nowhere in sight.

“JENSEN!!” he screams, desperately.


	8. "No Part Of Me Could Hurt Any Part Of You."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry for how long I've kept y'all waiting. I really didn't plan on it. But this chapter really fought me. I kept going back and changing the chain of events. Arguing w/ my muse about this and that. I really hope I've made the wait worth it. I WILL try harder not to keep y'all waiting as long again. But you know it's really out of my hands when the muse is being bitchy. :)

Jared-Wolf took over the moment the boy’s mind froze in shock and unendurable fear. Jared-Wolf could still hear Jensen-Wolf in his mind, his mate… his life. He sent Jared’s body racing along the bank until the brush and trees began to crowd back towards the river, no clear path for someone of Jared’s size. Jared-wolf leapt and changed midair, into his true form. Jared-Wolf landed effortlessly amongst the brush, his body nearly a blur as he wove around and about obstacles, as he struggled to catch up to Jensen. His senses were on full alert. His keen ears could pick up Jensen-Wolf’s grunts and pants even if he couldn’t see him yet.

Jensen-Wolf had taken over as well. But unlike Jared, who’d ceded to his wolf out of fear and uncertainty, Jensen knew that his Wolf’s strength and instincts would serve better than his own in this situation, and had moved aside for the animal.

Jared would later find out that this was not the first time Jensen had been swept into a river. When he was eight, on one of the many hunts his father had taken him on, a submerged rock had sent Jensen flying out of his kayak in some rapids up in Washington. Shifting into his Wolf had saved Jensen back then, he hoped it would do the same now. But the river he’d survived in his youth had been much smaller and a lot less turbulent than this one was, and Jensen could feel his Wolf starting to tire as he struggled to avoid crashing into rocks and other debris.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a large boulder loomed directly in his path.

Just coming around a bend behind him, Jared-Wolf finally spied Jensen-Wolf bobbing in the whitewater and gave a strangled bark of both relief and despair. He lunged to catch up to him but stumbled to a halt as the bigger wolf slammed into a large boulder, his yelp of pain warping and melding into a scream of agony as Jensen shifted back into human form.

Jared-Wolf howled back, wanting Jensen to know he was coming. But hearing Jensen’s scream, Jared snapped out of the shock his mind had fallen into and surged back to the surface of his mind, taking back control of his body and shifting into human form again. 

“JENSEN! I’m here! I’m coming!” he shouted, not knowing if Jensen could even hear him. “Hold on baby, please… hold on, hold on, hold on.” He kept muttering as he ran to the part of the bank closest to the boulder Jensen was clinging to.

Jensen turned his head to look at Jared who was now turning left and right, looking for something he could use to help Jensen. “Jared.” He called out weakly, but Jared still heard him.

Jared looked over his shoulder at the tone in Jensen’s voice. Leaving the sapling he’d been about to rip out of the ground, he returned to the bank, his insides churning with fear. He could see that one of Jensen’s arms was just flopping at his side, obviously broken. He could also see that Jensen was straining to hold onto the boulder with the rest of his shaking limbs; the incessant barrage of water trying to rip him off and sweep him away.

“Climb, Jensen! It’s the only way!” He begged, kneeling on the bank, he reached out with both hands in a pleading motion. “Don’t give up. Don’t you dare give up on me!” Jared sobbed.

“Arm’s broken, babe.” Jensen gritted out. “Can’t…. can’t hold on much longer.”

“No! Don’t you fuckin’ say that!” Jared shouted, tears streaming unknowingly down his cheeks. “Jensen Ross Ackles… if you let go of that boulder, I swear to Luna, I will jump in after you. Now CLIMB!”

Jared’s heart skipped a beat when one of Jensen’s legs lost its footing. – Oh Goddess, if he just had more strength! – 

Jared’s eyes flew wide and he leaned out over the water and pointed at Jensen. “Jensen, you can make it if you shift!”

“No… Wolf is tired, he can’t…”

 

Not Wolf… WEREwolf! Your Lykan form!” Jared shouted, using the ancient term for werewolves.

Jensen’s eyes widened slightly as he instantly understood. But just then, a particularly strong surge of water smashed into him, slamming the side with the broken arm against the boulder. Jared screamed when he saw Jensen’s grip start to fail, green eyes rolling back as Jensen fainted from the overwhelming pain.

In a flash of rippling skin, shadow and light the monstrous shape of Jensen’s lykan took his place, the creature instantly grabbing onto the boulder with a strong, sure grip. He then set the woods ringing as he roared his rage and pulled himself out of the water and on top of the boulder. Broken arm or not.

Jared had by then shot to his feet, his tears of despair now tears of joy. The creature began to growl and snap at the air with his large, razor-sharp fangs as his broken arm began to contort and mend itself, Jared staring in awe. He’d heard that lykans were more powerful, but he never thought it applied to their healing abilities too. Jared had never seen an injury that severe heal so quickly.

When the limb was done reassembling itself into a normal looking arm again, well, for a lykan that is, it turned its bloodshot, glowing green gaze on Jared who was standing naked on the bank. “Mate.” It said in a voice reminiscent of a boulder sliding over gravel.

Crouching down, it folded its heavily muscled, bipedal legs beneath it. With another roar and a snap of its powerful legs, it leaped the nearly twenty feet between boulder and shore, landing right beside Jared. The usually graceful cheerleader stumbling back a couple of feet, shock and a tinge of fear dawning on his face.

Just then, Anna came crashing out of the woods. “Run Jared!” she screamed, desperately. “He’s going to mate you whether you want to or not. Jensen is not there to control him. Just RUN!”

The monstrous creature roared at Anna, thinking she was a threat to his mate in some way. His head alpha voice infused the roar which was directed straight at her. The pretty Beta screamed shrilly, clamping her hands to her ears as she fell to the ground and began thrashing about in agony. Jared had clamped his hands over his ears, grimacing in pain, even with the vocal barrage not aimed at him, it was still painful.

As Jared’s hearing cleared, he figured that Matt must’ve been right behind Anna somewhere further back in the woods. He must’ve been in a direct line for the vocal barrage because Jared could hear the older Omega also screaming and thrashing about in the bushes. For Jensen’s sake, Jared hoped that both Watchers would be okay. It would upset Jensen if he thought he’d permanently harmed them. Jared’s mind snapped back to his own predicament as the lykan began to turn back to him. Without further thought, Jared took off towards the line of trees.

He entered the thicker, wooded area at a full run. His lithe, toned body practically flying as he ran. He glanced back as he made his way around a large clump of deadwood and brush, a whimper of fear escaping him as he spotted the lykan coming after him. At the rate the half-man, half-wolf was moving, Jared knew he’d be caught in no time unless he used the impressive brain his teachers and parents always credited him with.

Turning his attention back in front of him, Jared noticed that the trees and foliage to his right thickened considerably. Knowing his smaller wolf shape would fare better in that dense tangle, he headed in that direction, shifting into his wolf as he went.

He was somewhat relieved to hear the crashing of the large wolf behind him fall further and further behind. His little gambit was paying off.

Ten minutes later, he heard the stream coming up before he glimpsed it through the trees. It looked swift but nowhere near as bad as the rapids he’d left behind. It was too wide to jump across, but that’s not what Jared had in mind, anyways. He headed straight for it, hoping to use it to mask his scent.

Diving from the bank, Jared shifted in midair, cleaving the water cleanly. Popping to the surface in human form, he swam with the current as it carried him swiftly along. The banks began to steepen quickly, even if Jared wanted to get out, they were now too sheer for him to manage it safely and quickly, so he continued swimming along with the current keeping an eye out for any debris or rocks ahead of him.

Jared frowned in worry as the fast-flowing stream began curving noticeably. He could also hear the faint roar of a waterfall up ahead. He needed to get out, but the banks were still too steep. Up ahead, he spotted something hanging over the deep stream.

It was a large tree with big leaves growing right out of the bank – nearly perpendicular with the water. Even with his still considerable distance from it, Jared spotted a low-hanging, thick branch just a a foot or two above the water. He immediately began swimming for it, with the current aiding him he soon found himself coming up on it. He reached up to grab the branch, then froze as he saw the reason why the branch was so low.

Somehow, the Werewolf had gotten ahead and was lying in wait for him. A true hunter even in this savage form.

Jared snapped out of his shock and thrashed wildly in the water, trying to get away. Completely forgetting about the roaring ahead that had sounded like a waterfall.

But it was to no avail, anyways. The Werewolf’s long arm shot out – a large, clawed hand easily grabbing his upper arm and plucking him out of the water as if he didn’t weigh a thing. He heard the branch give an ominous cracking sound, just as Jensen threw Jared over one heavily muscled and furred shoulder, and leapt from the branch and straight onto the bank above. The branch cracked loudly, the large limb splashing down into the fast-flowing stream.

 

=============================

 

Jared didn’t know where the lykan was going, and he’d grown tired of talking to it, pleading with it to let him go. He couldn’t even tell which direction they were heading while hanging upside down from the beast’s shoulder.

After about an hour without the creature hurting him, Jared’s initial fear had lessened. Reminding himself that even if the monster ran mostly on instinct, it was still essentially Jensen – and Jared trusted Jensen to never hurt him. Plus, he also recalled the beast’s protectiveness when they’d met the Cuevas’.

Gaining courage, Jared planned another attempt at escaping, or at least find a way to bring Jensen back, and in control. The beast had him slung stomach down, holding him in place with one forearm across the backs of his lower legs.

Every now and then, it would run one large, callused hand up Jared’s legs to caress his ass, possessively. Squeezing each cheek appreciatively before running one un-clawed finger between the cheeks, running the pad across his opening. Huffing disappointedly each time, before pulling its hand back.

Jared knew it was testing him for readiness. He was heartened again, thinking the beast wouldn’t rape him, after all, if it was so worried about his readiness. Poor thing must think him the worst mate ever. Jared’s mind froze as he realized where his thoughts were taking him – and that was just a big, fat no to him.

Jared may still be a virgin but he’d been adequately taught all that he needed to know about being an Omega. He’d never gone all the way, it didn’t mean Jared had never played around or experimented with alphas hoping to mate him. But even so, Jared refused to be labeled a tease and for every alpha he’d been with, he made sure they were satisfied in other ways. And then lastly, he had Chad Michael Murray as a best friend. A best friend who considered it his personal quest to find Jared every bit of omega porn available online. So Jared was on no way, a prude.

But he was damn sure that bestiality would never appeal to him. Human to human, wolf to wolf… that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Jared felt a pang of pity at the thought of Jensen’s lykan never really finding pleasure with a suitable mate.

Even as he twisted his body enough to get a look at the position of the sun, Jared’s mind began wandering. He accepted that the werewolf was a part of Jensen, and that he and Jensen were already pretty much mated. But Jared always thought that when he found the one he wanted to mate, that he would be the best omega for that mate. That he would be supportive, loving, and loyal and everything else that he thought made an omega or any other wolf a perfect mate; But he pictured it for both their forms; human and wolf.

Jensen was more than that, though. He had a third form, while Jared didn’t. And though Jared was no longer completely terrified of that third form, it still made him nervous and Jared hoped Jensen would take control again soon and send it back deep within him where it belonged. And just thinking that made Jared ashamed of himself – what kind of an omega doesn’t accept his mate for all that he is?

Brushing those thoughts aside for now, Jared began to worry about winning the Hunt again. They very likely lost the map and all the helpful items in the waterproof pockets of their wraps as well as the pouch of cloves that he still hoped was safe on the bank where Jensen had dropped it. Jared knew he and Jensen were in danger of losing if he couldn’t figure something out soon.

First, he had to get loose of the werewolf’s hold.

With that thought, Jared shifted back into his wolf. All his limbs were now free, and using the shoulder of the startled beast carrying him, Jared planted his rear legs and sprung away. The shove of his powerful back legs making the creature stumble forward even as Jared hit the ground running. Using the position of the sun above them, Jared controlled his wolf’s path by sending him in the general direction of the river where they had dropped the bag of cloves. Behind him, he heard the werewolf roar in anger as it began chasing him again. This time, Jared had a much bigger lead and he was determined to keep it. As long as the lykan kept following him, they would soon be back on track.

Fifteen minutes of running later, Jared gave thanks in his mind to the survival classes he and Chad had gone through. Most especially for their instructor’s near manic insistence on building stamina. Without that, Jared doubted he would’ve been able to have gone as long as he has. Unfortunately, the werewolf also seemed to have buckets of stamina. Jared could still hear him crashing about in pursuit of him.

He was starting to tire, though. Recalling what the werewolf had done to Anna and Matt, Jared had snatched a handful of cattails, the fibrous plant growing abundantly along the banks, and began stuffing his ears with them. As the ground began steepening, Jared started spotting landmarks he recognized. He was, therefore, not surprised to spot their first rest stop just ahead. The crude lean-to Osric and Jensen had built was still there.

Just as the ground began to level out again, a large, gray rabbit darted across Jared’s path. The little creature was running pell-mell for the large briar patch that had thwarted Jared yesterday. Jared found himself suddenly pushed aside as his wolf took control and made a leaping dive at the rabbit – shifting into wolf form as he did. He snarled triumphantly as he snatched it up in his jaws. Growling with pleasure as he snapped the hapless creature’s spine with one crushing bite, the body going limp in his jaws. Then finally, the inner voice of Jared-Human screaming at him, registered.

-…were…wolf…Werewolf… WEREWOLF!!”- 

Jared-Wolf dropped the rabbit as the overwhelming scent and presence of the lykan washed over him. Still in wolf form, refusing to let the weaker Jared-Human face the monster, Jared-Wolf fell into a fighting stance; dropping his head low but refusing to break eye contact as he snarled ferociously at the werewolf, warning him off.

The werewolf sat back on its… his, haunches and tilted its… HIS head in confusion.

Jared-Wolf’s ears laid back in suspicion. –Why wasn’t he grabbing Jared like before?, sure he wasn’t afraid of the much smaller wolf?-

He moved back a couple steps, but kept his attention on the other. The fur around his neck bristled, standing on end; it ran in a line down the middle of his back. An instinctual form of intimidation. It helped to make the wolf look bigger, more impressive. And though Jared-Wolf could never compare in size to Jensen-Lykan, Jared-Wolf instinctually knew that even in this form, this was his mate.

And his own mate would never harm him. Right?

Jared decided to let his wolf handle the lykan.

His mind still flinched when the lykan surged back to his full height, chuffing at Jared-Wolf.

“Mate… here.” The beast gestured for Jared-Wolf to come to him.

Jared-Wolf ambled slowly up to the lykan who then squatted and reached out to pet Jared-Wolf. It’s large, rough palm felt good running through his fur. It’s large claws skritching carefully behind his ears and along the bottom of his jaw. Jared-Wolf soon found his eyes drifting close.

All the worry and exertions he’d gone through in the last twenty-four hours suddenly seemed to catch up to Jared. He felt himself being positioned so the he was crouched down on his stomach, all four limbs curled under him.

His eyes shot open when he felt the lykan circling his opening with one large finger. He shot to his feet and backed away from the lykan. That’s when he noticed the wetness at his own opening, as well as his half-hard state. Jared-Wolf huffed in dismay as he realized that despite the suppressant shot Jared took every week without fail, the lykan had triggered his slick.

The lykan whined entreatingly, holding out one large hand to him. “Pretty mate.” He growled. “Come.”

Jared-Wolf trembled. He could see the Lykan-Alpha’s arousal poking out of its sheath, but it was the waves of Alpha musk that was nearly overwhelming Jared-Wolf. His senses were too keen in this form. Although he was aroused, he was more afraid of the creature. Jared-Wolf reacted to that fear with anger. He growled and snapped at the large hand reaching out for him. One sharp canine catching and ripping a finger.

The lykan roared angrily, Jared’s large wolf form staggered back, shifting back into Jared, who could do nothing but fall onto his back with a whimper of fear, hands clapped hastily to his ringing ears.

Jared’s eyes had clenched tight in fear and pain as he waited for the lykan’s retribution.

Instead, large hairy hand picked him up gently and pulled him close. Jared’s eyes snapped open as he realized the Lykan was cuddling him, making quiet soothing noises the whole time.

“J-Jensen?” Jared said, tremulously.

In the same weird shimmering of shadow and light, the Lykan shifted and it was pale and weary looking Jensen who was now holding him in his strong, loving arms.

Jared cried out in relief and threw his arms around Jensen’s neck, holding on tight as he sobbed in relief.

“It’s alright, baby, I’ve got you.” Jensen crooned, the silky undertones similar to the soothing rumble the Lykan had been using. “He never would’ve hurt you. No single part of me could hurt any part of you.”


	9. "...Or No Winner At All."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it... we're in the home stretch. Can you believe it?!   
> This is the 2nd to last chapter. Hold on, we're almost there!   
> Sincerely hope you're still enjoying the story thus far and I REALLY hope  
> I manage to end it to your satisfaction, as well. <3

In the dead of night, in the pitch black of the lean-to, Jensen woke with a rumble of pleasure vibrating deep in his chest. His strong arms automatically wrapped around the lean, supple body rubbing against him. Jensen felt his eyes partially shift as they adjusted to the low light inside the lean-to.

“Jared.” He groaned, the omega moaning in response.

He gasped as he felt his aching hardness slide easily between the younger boy’s plush, firm cheeks, wet heat slicking his way. Jared’s sweet, raw honey smell filling Jensen’s senses, inhaling it deep into his lungs and savoring it.

Jensen groaned louder as he rubbed his length up and down, squeezed deliciously between the firm globes. Every time the bulbous tip slid over the younger boy’s opening, Jensen could feel Jared tremble before he’d push back trying to guide Jensen into him.

“We can’t, baby. Not now, not here.” Jensen murmured against the back of Jared’s ear, nuzzling, nipping and kissing it as his large hands ran over every inch of soft-skinned firmness that he could reach. “We can’t… I’d knot you, we’d be… oh fuck you feel so good… mated.”

“Don’t care. Want you.” Jared growled, his voice raspy, rough. Sending more darts of pleasures shooting through Jensen.

“One… our parents would kill me if I mated you before we even graduated.” Jensen gritted through his teeth as he felt more slick come from Jared, causing him to pick up the pace of his rutting; The rest of his words coming out in a ragged rush. ”Two… we’re not mating on a patch of dirt in the middle of the woods.” He paused, to grab another lungful of what felt like superheated, sweet air. “When we do it, we do it right.”

Jensen could feel a fast-building heat pooling low in his gut. The telltale tingling of his fingers and toes told him he was close. Lying on their sides, Jensen behind Jared, he’d managed to slip one arm under Jared’s chest, hooking it around, palm flat against Jared’s firm chest; holding the younger boy flush against him, their hips pushing against each other in a perfect rhythm that had Jensen’s insides feeling like molten lava was spreading through his insides.

Jensen could feel his knot growing, every instinct in him demanding he push it deep inside Jared. His Wolf and his Lykan urging him to make the young omega theirs, once and for all.

Just as Jared’s body tensed up, shuddering and shivering against Jensen’s body, the older boy reached his free arm around to take Jared firmly in hand, working him through his orgasm, with long strokes – making sure to twist slightly at the tip with every upstroke. All while whispering hotly against the delicate shell of Jared’s ear, how beautiful, perfect, amazing and wonderful the omega was.

As soon as Jensen was sure Jared was done, he rolled Jared’s limp, sated body onto his stomach and then mounted him from behind. With his knees planted on either side of Jared’s hips, Jensen slotted his pulsing, aching member along the crease of Jared’s plush ass once more. Jensen used both hands to knead the firm globes, squeezing them, pushing them together as his hips picked up the pace.

Coming out of his afterglow, Jared pushed up to his elbows and widened his legs while bracing his knees and toes against the ground, trying to get traction. He picked up Jensen’s rhythm and began pushing back at him every time Jensen pushed forward. Helping as much as he could to get Jensen to completion.

Both boys were now sweating freely. The sweat making their bodies slicker, as they slipped and ground against each other. The sound of their skin slapping together filling the air around them. The scent of Jared’s come flooding the immediate area. All of it combining to flood Jensen’s senses. He felt as if he was drowning in Jared.

Panting heavily, hazel eyes lust blown, hair sticking to his face in sweaty tendrils; Jared twisted slightly to look over his shoulder at Jensen, his eyes glowing softly in the dark; having shifted them as Jensen had, in order to see. He wet his lips slowly before speaking.

“Come on, baby… come for me, Alpha.” He growled, voice wrecked.

Jensen gasped loudly as the feel, sight and scent of his mate suddenly became overwhelming. Crashing into him and setting Jensen ablaze.

With a last flurry of hard thrusts, Jensen roared his release, his muscled body arching beautifully. He held his large, throbbing erection in one hand, while the other massaged and squeezed at his knot. He then hunched over as he came all over Jared’s butt and back. Hot, white ropy dollops of spent striping what he knew, but couldn’t quite see even with his wolf sight, his mate’s golden-tanned skin.

Jared was writhing beneath him, one arm trapped beneath him, frantically jacking his re-hardened dick. Even as Jensen squeezed a last blurt of come from his knot, hitting Jared on the small of his back, the omega stiffened and howled as a second orgasm hit him. The subsequent moans his voice died down to, like a symphony to Jensen’s ears.

A sated lassitude and pure exhaustion suddenly overcomes Jensen. Conscious enough to drop beside Jared instead of on top of him, Jensen smiled dreamily at Jared before his eyes drooped of their own accord.

Before completely giving in to the dark of sleep, he murmured almost too softly for Jared to hear. “Mine. My heart.”

But hear it, Jared did.

 

**********************************************

 

Mid-morning… Jensen awakens snorting and huffing. A strong smell overwhelming him.

-Cloves?’- he thought muzzily, huffing irritably out through his nose as one hand came up to rub at his nose. As soon as he dropped his hand the smell returned. His eyes snapped open to see a woven drawstring pouch with a Lark motif stitched into the side dangling above him; held by Jared, who was smiling impishly down at him.

“Wakey wakey, gorgeous. It’s Sunday. Last day and we still have two more larks to find.”

Sitting upright, Jensen looked around and noticed that the sun was already well up.

“Why didn’t you wake me, Jared? How much time have we lost?”

“You needed it. With all that happened yesterday, the breaking and mending of your arm, and our, uh… late-night play. Your body needed a good rest.” Jared finished, fighting the blush he could feel trying to climb his neck.

Jensen was fuzzy on the details, but with how exhausted he and Jared had been the evening before, they’d simply stumbled towards the lean-to, crawled inside and fell asleep as soon as they were comfortably wrapped in each other’s arms. But then, in the early morning, when the night was at its darkest… Jensen shook the thought from his mind. Now was not the time to get hard again. He glanced over at Jared, his eyes lovingly caressing every dip, angle and curve of the younger boy’s beautiful, and surprisingly clean skin.

Jensen looked down at his come and dirt crusted body and grimaced in discomfort. He turned back to Jared, who was busy tying the drawstring of the lark pouch around one wrist.

“Wait, how did you get that… and did you take a bath without me?”

Jared looked up at Jensen, amusement plain on his face, eyes sparkling in the bright light of day. 

“Oh, I was up as the sun was rising, you were still exhausted so I went back and got it. Stopped off at the stream to get a cold, yet invigorating cleaning and then just laid out in the sun ‘til it was time to wake you.”

“You went all the way to the rapids alone?!”

Jared huffed as he finished tying the bag and looked at Jensen with exasperation plain on his handsome face. “Yes, Jensen. Alone. I’m not a baby, and I may not be as good as you, but I did train with experts for two summers.”

Jensen opened his mouth to argue further, but then he suddenly snapped it shut and poked his nose in the air, scenting something. He rose to his feet and turned to face a section of woods with unerring accuracy. Before he could get upset over whoever was sneaking up on them, a familiar voice called out.

“Jensen… Jared... It’s us!” called out Jesse Cuevas just before he, Cesar and Ryon popped out from behind a large oak, and stepped into the clearing.

“JA-WED!” Ryon squealed, skipping towards the taller boy. Jesse made the sharp, throaty growl of an irate Lynx. Ryon froze in his tracks. His whole body slumping at the reprimand from his father. He then turned and quickly went to stand behind Cesar.

“We have some concerns.” Cesar said, in answer to Jared’s and Jensen’s questioning looks.

“Concerns?” asked Jensen.

“When we picked up Ryon from you yesterday, Jesse took Ryon back to our camp to feed him and give him a bath and some proper rest, just as we said we would.”

“But Cesar wanted to keep an eye on you two, so he followed you from a distance. He saw everything.” Jesse added.

Jensen swallowed, nervously, sensing what was coming next.

“Your Lykan hurt your Watchers.” Cesar said grimly, staring at Jensen who had paled noticeably.

Jensen filled with shame as he realized he hadn’t even asked about them since he’d gotten up. He’d forgotten about Matt and Anna. “Are they… are they okay?”

Jared stepped to his side and wrapped an arm around his slim waist, sending him love, sympathy and reassurance over their bond.

Jesse sighed, gustily, then smiled slightly. “I’m glad you asked. ‘Cos if you hadn’t, Ryon’s time with you two would’ve been over right here and now. Yes… they’re fine. Cesar helped them. They’ll be waiting for you at the final checkpoint.”

Jensen breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t know what he’d have done if he’d really hurt Matt and Anna.

Cesar stepped in again, still looking grim and unforgiving. “You hurt your Watchers and terrified your mate. We’re not sure if Ryon can continue on with you.”

“But it wasn’t his fault!” Jared said, shoulders tense, indignant at the accusation that Jensen was in any way untrustworthy. He hadn’t known the other boy all that long, but Jensen had never done anything to make anyone doubt his integrity. Jared wasn’t having it. “When Jensen’s lykan hurt Matt and Anna, he’d just completed a very painful healing of a broken arm. Anna was telling me to run from him. All the lykan knew is that no Were should run from their mate, and he thought Anna was there to take me away.”

“But you kept running from him, even after he caught you the first time.”

“By then, I knew Jensen would be coming back soon, but we were getting way off track with the Hunt. I didn’t know how to communicate that to the lykan so I broke free to make him follow me back to where we’d left the first lark. But then, my Wolf was hungry and when that rabbit darted right in front of us, he couldn’t help himself.”

Cesar still looked undecided.

“Cesar, please.” Jared said, earnestly. “I would give my life to protect Ryon. I’ve grown to love that little brat. And I’m pretty sure, even with all his grumbling, that Jensen feels the same way.” He felt Jensen’s nod of agreement.

“Cesar.” Jesse said softly, his mate turning his head slightly to look back at him, just realizing how, in his upset, he’d stepped up right in front of Jensen. He backed up to where Ryon obediently stood. 

Cesar was an Alpha, too. He was older and more experienced, but Jensen was bigger than him in 2 out of his 3 forms. Jesse just wasn’t sure who’d win a fight between the two, and Jesse was unwilling to have his husband test the boy. He turned his attention back to the boys and smiled, assuredly.

“Cesar’s just scared for our only cub. So am I. But I trust you, Jensen. You’ve always been a good and honorable Alpha.” He then looked at Cesar, who nodded, but didn’t say another word.

“Ryon.” Jesse called to his son, the little boy’s head snapping up to look at his parent. “You can go with them, son.”

Ryon ran to Jared and the two immediately began tussling, rolling about on the ground, happy laughter ringing out.

Jesse then pulled a bundle out of the lightweight pack on his back and held it out to Jensen. Jensen smiled as he instantly recognized the material.

“Our wraps! How in the world did you find it?”

“Cesar knows that river like the back of his hand. He knew where it would most likely wash up, and he was right.” Jesse then nodded at Cesar, who removed a leaf-wrapped bundle from his bag. The smell of cooked rabbit hit Jensen hard, making his stomach growl, causing Jesse to smile in amusement. “We also picked up that rabbit you two left behind, cleaned and cooked it for you. Nothing in the rules against getting some outside help, as long as the help doesn’t jeopardize the Hunt of another team.”

Jared rolled Ryon off him when Jensen showed him their wraps, climbing gracefully to his feet, he eagerly bounded over to take his wrap, slipping it on. Jensen almost wished Cesar hadn’t found it, as it once again hid from view parts of Jared’s beautiful body.

“They also prepared that rabbit you killed yesterday for us. So we’ve got breakfast.”

“Awesome! Thanks guys!”

“There’s not much left in them…” Cesar said, nodding at the wrap Jensen was now slipping on. “The pockets were not meant to hold up to the beating whitewater rapids can give. Almost all your supplies are gone. Only one soggy fire making kit and one map.”

“I’m happy for the cover, my sensitive bits appreciate it. And the map, we really needed the map to keep on course.” Jensen said, unworried.

“Yes, thank you guys for the wraps. On behalf of Jensen’s sensitive bits which I happen to appreciate a lot, myself.” Jared added, with a mischievous wink as he plucked the cooked rabbit from Cesar’s hands and sauntered off towards the lean-to.

“No matter what he tells you, Ryon has already eaten.” Jesse called out to Jared.

“Awww Daddy-Ma!” Ryon whined.

“That rabbit is for Jared and Jensen, they haven’t eaten yet, while you’ve eaten twice already this morning, my bottomless pit.”

“Fine! I go pick bewwies” Ryon grumped, as he stomped off on his chubby little legs.

All the adults laughed at the littlest Were as one of his stomping feet slipped in some gravel making him lose his balance and plop onto his little behind, right on top of a patch of damp grass. He looked back at the adults, blinking owlishly, then he smiled his gamine smile.

 

***********************************************

 

Jensen stared with trepidation up at Matt and Anna where they stood waiting for them at the crest of the flat topped hill before them. Jared walked beside him, determined to show his support, with little Ryon scampering in lynx form behind them.

“Matt. Anna. I’m, so… I’m so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you and my lykan was confused by the pain, and…” Jensen rushed to get out all that he’d been wanting to say to the two Watchers.

“Jensen…” Anna laughed, shaking her head at him. “This is not our first rodeo and you are not the first Hunter to accidentally hurt us during a Hunt. Hell, we even had one pair that deliberately tried to hurt us, just because Matt and I didn’t wanna ‘party’ with them! But we endured it all and we’re still here, loving our job. Especially now, with all the interesting things happening.”

“Besides…” Matt added, tone dry and caustic. “Our brains felt like they were melting in our skulls – totally blotted out the pain of having our eardrums ruptured.”

Jensen gaped in shock, his complexion paling alarmingly, as Jared grabbed his arm when he swayed on his feet. He then wrapped Jensen in a tight hug, continuing to send love and reassurance through their bond, glaring up at Matt even as Anna admonished her partner.

“Matt! That was uncalled for.” She snapped, and then turned to look worriedly at Jensen. “We’re totally healed, Jensen. We’re feeling fine. Matt’s just upset that a 17-year-old got the best of him.”

Ignoring Anna’s last jibe, Matt relaxed his posture then smiled ruefully at Jensen. “I’m sorry. She’s right. We healed just fine, and I know you didn’t mean to hurt us.”

“I didn’t.” Jensen said, firmly, hugging Jared back, smiling at his mate in gratitude for his unwavering support.

“Okay then, back to the Hunt.” Anna said with a chipper tone. “You guys should take a short rest, especially little Ryon there, who’s looking a lil droopy.”

Ryon’s head perked up from where he’d shifted back into boy form and was lolling in a patch of cornflowers, blinking drowsily. “Not dwoopy… jus’ westing!” The little were insisted, just before he yawned.

Jared went to pick him up, rubbing noses briefly, before turning to climb the rest of the way up the hill. 

“Wait. Matt… Anna. I have a question.” Jensen called out to the Watchers who’d been turning to follow Jared. Jared paused with the Watchers to look back down at Jensen, who was staring at the Watchers, determinedly.

“Are there any other changes to the Hunt that we need to know about? Anything more?”

Matt and Anna smiled at each other, then looked back down at Jensen.

“Yes… there are no more 2nd and 3rd placings. A Hunting pair has to complete the Hunt in order to win and there can be more than one winning team. There can be multiple winners or no winners at all.”

“The multiple winners is new.” Jared interjected. “Even the ones who came close were still honored for coming back alive, though. The ones who complete it in full are Grand Champions, while the rest are given the honorary title of ‘Hunter’ for the rest of their lives. Before you two became Watchers, you were titled Hunters, yourselves. You were granted prizes.”

“Yes, the title of having survived a Hunt, the respect is there. But starting now, they will no longer go in the Histories and there will be no more prizes.”

“WHAT?!” Jared exclaimed. “That’s not fair! You mean to tell me that if Osric lives, he and Felicia will get no recognition or compensation, whatsoever, for their bravery?!”

“I’m sorry, guys. But this is the inauguration of the New Hunt rules. It’s already been passed by the Council. After today, it will go out to all the other Hunt officials all over the country.”

“You have to find ALL the Larks and make it back to the starting point in just under 8 hours. It’s the only way to win, now. Just one second late and you’re out. There is also a new prize for all Champions. We don’t know what it is yet, it’s been kept real hush-hush. But we were told it was going to become the normal prize for Champions, outside of the money and the acclaim. They said it will be a truly priceless reward.”

Jared, grim set to his lips, nodded in understanding, he turned to look back at Jensen even as Ryon gave out another large yawn. “Okay then. Cut our rest stop to enough time for Ryon to eat and drink and to get a short nap, then we have to push on.”

Jensen nodded in agreement.

Matt and Anna left them to their quick rest, as the two watchers took off into the trees. Jensen knew this was their last time to give advice or aid in any way. They wouldn’t see them again until they crossed the finish line. IF they crossed it, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to get the final chapter and probably an Epilogue out as fast as I can. Thanks again for all y'allz patience with me. <3


	10. "Let's Go, Brat. We're Going Home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I know I said this would be the last chapter, but it looks like a lot more needed to be done, and so this chapter kept going and going until I realized it was way too long. So, I had to split it up and now chapter 11 will be the last chapter, and I'll have it out soon.

Nearly three hours later… Jared, Jensen and Ryon were traveling at a fast clip through a heavily wooded area. The tops of the trees making a near perfect canopy above them. The soft, forest ground below was nearly clear with the exception of low-lying bushes, with thick layers of pine needles carpeting the ground. It was Jared who picked up the scent of the next Lark pouch. But getting their hands on it, was a whole other matter.

Tied securely to a branch three quarters of the way up a 40 ft conifer pine, the distinctive Lark pouch could be seen bobbing up and down on the thin whippy branch it was attached to.

Jensen had already tried climbing the tree, making it halfway before his weight prevented him from climbing any higher for fear of snapping the thinner branches up top and falling. Jared had gotten a little further up, but still dismally far from the pouch when he too had to admit defeat and work his way back down.

“What are we gonna do, Jensen?!” Jared wailed in dismay. “It’s right there, and we can’t get it. How in the hell did this new Planner think we were going to get this Lark? Fly?!”

“Maybe we can get some saplings or long branches and tie them together to make a pole?” Jensen mused even as he began walking around their immediate area looking for anything they could use.

“Maybe we can throw rocks at it, and knock it down.” Jared muttered, turning about and searching the ground for rocks they could use. He glanced around to check on Ryon who had stayed in boy form to run around playfully chasing the chipmunks that had made their homes in nearby trees. Jared had to admit that they were quite cute, especially since they seemed to sense that they were in no danger from Ryon and were actually playing a weird game of tag with him.

Jared paused his search to smile fondly at the little boy, who had squatted down to hold out one little hand to a nearby chipmunk. “Ja-wed, lookit!” Ryon called out happily, as he held up the chipmunk that was carefully perched in the palm of his hand.

“That is great, little man! You’re a regular chipmunk whisperer. Think you can ask one of them to climb up that tree and get the pouch?”

Ryon’s infectious laugh rang out. “Silly Ja-wed… chippys don’t know my talks.”

“I was just kidding, sweety.” Jared smiled affectionately. He then turned his smile on Jensen, dimples deepening as warmth and love filled his gaze as he watched his grumpy boyfriend –goddess, his boyfriend!– come walking back to them holding only two sturdy looking saplings. His grumpy expression melted away the moment he spotted Jared, though.

Jensen smiled back, even as his eyes questioned Jared’s sudden calm. “What?” he asked, softly.

“I am so glad our parents forced us to work together. I’m very grateful we got this time together.”

“I am, too. But… why does it sound like you’re about to break up with me?” Jensen asked, suspicion coloring his tone.

Jared laughed, delightedly, as he stepped up to Jensen and wrapped his arms around his neck, pressing his body firmly into the bigger boy. “I’m not letting you go for the rest of my life, Alpha.”

Jensen smiled down at him as he wrapped his arms around Jared’s trim waist, resting his forehead against Jared’s. He gazed deep into Jared’s amazing light brown eyes with its tints of blue and green, marveling once again at how beautiful his mate’s ever-changing eyes were. “You better not, Omega.” He mock-growled.

“Ja-wed, lookit!” he heard Ryon call to him from farther away.

Thinking the little lynx just wanted to show him another chipmunk, Jared just called out to him as he continued gazing lovingly up into Jensen’s beautiful green eyes. “That’s good, buddy.” He called out, distractedly.

“What are you thinking of, gorgeous?” Jensen asked, sensing Jared had something on his mind.

“We did really well out here.” Jared said, one hand coming around to trail a finger along Jensen’s strong, slightly stubbled jaw. “I don’t wanna risk either of our lives again. Let’s just head back. We found one Lark, and that’s better than nothing.”

Jensen frowned. “But another Lark is right there.”

“Yes, but we can’t get it without one or both of us possibly getting hurt. It’s not worth it, Jen.”

“Ja-wed… looky!”

“Okay, buddy… Jared and Jensen are talking, just play with your little friends, and… RYON!”

Jared ripped himself out of Jensen’s arms and ran towards the large pine, where Ryon was now halfway up. Jared’s hands coming up to cover his mouth in fear as he realized how high the little lynx had gotten in the couple of minutes he and Jensen weren’t paying attention.

“Ryon…” Jared called out, trying to instill calm into his tone so as to not startle the little boy. “What are you doing, little man? Please, come down.”

Jensen meanwhile, was cursing under his breath even as he made his way to the base of the tree and began to swiftly climb, trying to catch the little were.

Even with the size of the tree, Jensen’s weight was shaking it, causing it to wobble and sway. Ryon squeaked in surprise as he lost his grip on a branch he was holding and his feet were knocked out from under him. Jared shouted in fear as the little Were swung in midair by one arm.

“Stop, stop… Jensen STOP! You’re gonna knock him out of the tree!” Jared screamed.

Jensen froze where he was, his fearful gaze shooting up the tree staring at the little boy above who’d manage to pull himself back in and was clinging safely to the tree again.

His little face scrunched up into a frown as he shouted down at Jensen. “Stop shaking twee, Jen-sing! You too fat, geddown!”

Even in this dire situation Jared had to bite back a laugh as he heard Jensen’s indignant huff. “I’m going to give you a fat behind when I spank the living daylights out of you, you brat. Come here, now!”

“Jensen! Scaring him isn’t gonna get him down any faster!”

Jensen just grumbled as he began climbing again, but slower. Still, the tree began swaying again, setting Ryon off on another tirade.

“Stop moving, fatso! You gonna make me falls and then Da-Ma and Da-Da gonna get mad atchoo!”

“Stop Jensen, stop… it’s too dangerous. You’re too big to reach him.”

“Told ya… fatso!”

Jensen’s grumbling got louder, but heeding Jared’s words, he carefully made his way back down and then went to stand by Jared and looked up at the errant little were-lynx.

“Your Da-Ma and Da-Da are gonna whip your behind if you don’t get back down here right now, brat!”

Jared slapped his arm, admonishingly. “Stop trying to frighten him! Why would he come down now with you threatening him?”

Jared looked up at the little boy, even as he continued climbing.

“Ryon! Please stop, don’t go any higher. You’re scaring me. You don’t wanna scare your Jared now, do you?” he said, cajolingly. “Come back down and we can go play together with the chipmunks.”

“No… Ja-wed is Wyon’s fwend. I help Ja-wed get stinky pouch. I can do it, Imma good climber, I’m cat!”

With that, Jared and Jensen stared in shock as Ryon shifted into his tiny lynx form, and scampered up to a branch right below where the bag hung. Like a housecat batting at a cat toy, he knocked the Lark bag off its branch with a few swipes of his little paw and watched it fall. It snagged on another branch further down, but Ryon nimbly, almost casually clambered down to it and knocked it loose again, until it finally landed on the pine needle covered ground with a soft thump.

They watched, mouths slightly agape, as he then calmly scampered the rest of the way down, leaping from the lowest level of branches onto the ground and shifting back into a beaming, giggling little boy again. He snatched up the little bag and brought it to Jared. Biting his lower lip as he suddenly got nervous at the two older weres unusual silence.

Jared suddenly swept him up into his arms and hugged him tight enough to make the little boy squeak. Still holding the little boy in his arms, Jared leaned back to look him full in the face and smiled his biggest dimple-popping smile at the little boy. “You are one amazing little kid. But if you ever scare me like that again, I’ll be the one to whip your little butt into next week! You hear me?”

Knowing he wasn’t really in trouble anymore, Ryon just grinned impishly at Jared before leaning in to wrap his chubby arms around Jared’s neck in a fierce hug. “You not hurt me, Ja-wed. You my fwend.”

Jensen laughed as he wrapped one arm around Jared’s waist, his other arm coming up to ruffle Ryon’s hair, then pulling him closer for a loud smacking kiss to the little boy’s rosy cheek. “Jared may not be able to tan your hide, brat. But I can and will if you ever scare us like that, again!” he growled playfully, unable to keep a smile off his face.

Grinning, the little boy playfully wiped his cheek then slapped Jensen’s cheek lightly, with the same hand. “Ew… alpha cooties!” he laughed.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Less than two hours later, Jensen, Jared and Ryon stood at the edge of a rocky ridge – a drop of over eighty feet before them and a vast plain of undulating grassland that stretched toward the horizon beyond that.

Jared looked at Jensen worriedly even as he kept a tight hold on one of Ryon’s arms. “This is as far as our map goes. That is outside the grounds of the game, and we haven’t found another Lark.”

“We must’ve missed it.” Jensen murmured softly, hunkered down with one elbow on a knee, his hand caressing his stubbled chin as he stared out at the immense prairie, his brow furrowed in concentration.

He suddenly dropped to his knees and leaned out over the dropoff, making Jared jerk in alarm, a strangled gasp escaping the younger boy, one hand shooting out to grab Jensen’s shoulder.

“I’m fine. I just wanted to take a look at the face of the cliff. Maybe the Lark is somewhere along it.”

“Even if it was… I’d never let you…” Jared muttered angrily, then turned to scowl at the little lynx, who had taken a seat on a small nearby boulder when Jared had let him go. “…or you, try to get it. This Hunt is important to me but not as important as either of you. You got me?”

Ryon stared wide-eyed at Jared but nodded in acquiescence.

“Doesn’t matter, anyways.” Jensen says, climbing back to his feet and stepping away from the edge. “There’s nothing down there.”

“This doesn’t make sense!” Jared nearly whined, one foot stomping petulantly on the ground. “We followed the map exactly. Sure we got sidetracked with the second bag for a while, but we got right back on the right trail. Do you think someone else found it and took it?”

“Matt said you have to return with your own Larks. Claiming one of ours wouldn’t help any of them.”

“Unless their goal wasn’t to claim it but to sabotage us.” Jared said through clenched teeth.

Jensen’s lips tightened as he nodded at that possibility. Sighing, he ran one hand down his face in weary resignation. “We’re running out of time, baby. We’ll continue looking as we backtrack our trail, but we at least have two out of the three. Even if that means we lose, it’s still nothing to be ashamed of. We have to start heading back or we’ll miss the deadline.”

“What’s the point then if we’re just gonna be declared losers?”

“Hey…” Jensen said, taking Jared’s shoulders in his hands, shaking him slightly as he spoke. “We are going back with our heads held high. We did great out here, you were amazing, and so was Ryon.”

“You did great, too.”

Jensen smiled affectionately. “As far as I’m concerned, we are winners. Money and recognition be damned.”

Beaming with love and trust, Jared leaned in to capture Jensen’s lips in a searing kiss. “Goddess, I love you.” He murmured, when he pulled back.

Smiling happily, Jensen took Jared’s hand in one of his and held out the other to the little were-lynx. “Let’s go, brat. We’re going home.”

Ryon stuck his tongue out at Jensen, then kicked him in the shin. “Not a bwat!” he shouted, before turning and skipping back the way they’d come.

Cursing under his breath and grumbling to himself, Jensen led a giggling Jared back down the hill.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Returning the way they’d come seemed almost easy compared to their trip out. Not having to check a map every now and then helped, but mostly just following their own scent helped to lead them back to the Hunt’s starting-slash-finishing point.

When they reached the large plain of high grass that bordered the back of the high school’s property, Jared could sense a feeling of expectation in the air. On the breeze he could pick up the scent of hundreds of people up ahead.

Jensen growled a warning, as he pulled Jared and Ryon behind him then stared intently at the long grass to their left.

“It’s us.” Called out a familiar voice. within minutes, Matt and Anna stepped through the grass and came to a stop before them.

Jared and Jensen glanced at each other as both Watcher bowed to ceremoniously to them before straightening up and smiling warmly at the boys.

“As your Watchers, it is our duty and our honor to escort you the rest of the way.” Matt said, an air of ceremony about him and a curious light in his eyes.

When Jared glanced at Anna he saw the same light shining in her gaze. She also seemed to be struggling to hold back her smile, even as she gave him the slightest of winks.

“First, have you completed your task?”

Smiling weakly, Jared held out the two Lark bags, which Anna took with a an air of deference.

“Now, if you’ll follow us.” Matt said, his manner still stiff and precise.

Anna squatted down and beckoned Ryon over to her. The little boy skipped over happily. “Hi Ryon. Would you like to help me carry these?” she asked, holding up both of the bags.

The little boy shrugged, then nodded. He took the bags from Anna. The beta then took him into her arms as she stood back up. “You carry those for me and I’ll carry you. Is that okay?”

Ryon shrugged then nodded again. His sharp senses was picking up the scent of many weres ahead, and despite having spent so many hours with Jared and Jensen, both wolves, the thought of walking toward the scent of so many other wolves intimidated the little lynx.

“This way.” Matt said to Jared and Jensen, as he turned and began walking. Jared and Jensen following, with Anna, carrying Ryon who in turn carried the pouches, bringing up the rear.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the edge of the grassland and Jared and Jensen stared in awe as they stepped out onto a wide, red carpet that ran straight towards the stand where the Hunt officials and Principal Singer were waiting for them.

Jared grimaced when he noted the other teams, besides the team from Gaylord, Osric and Felicia, were already there and lined up in a straight line, their backs to the stand; everyone’s eyes on Jared and Jensen.

The moment Anna stepped out of the grass and onto the red carpet, with Ryon still in her arms, a low murmur and a frisson of energy went through the large crowd surrounding them.

Swallowing nervously, Jared grabbed at Jensen’s hand, the older boy immediately taking his hand and squeezing it firmly, sending him love and reassurance over their fledgling bond.

As Jared and Jensen followed Matt along the carpet, Jared noted that the other Watchers were standing in a straight line to the side of the Hunters. Behind three of them, stood townsfolk Jared recognized even if he didn’t know all their names. He spotted Batty Patty standing behind what must’ve been Osric’s and Felicia’s Watchers. Jared yearned to ask them how his friends were doing but was urged by Matt to keep moving.

The other two was a man who looked to be in his late 30’s and a teenaged girl he knew went to his school. A freshman. Jared’s eyes wandered back to Batty Patty, frowning when he saw the white bandage on one of her arms. He recalled that she had helped to fight off the mountain lion that had attacked Osric.

“I’ve never seen a Hunt’s End ceremony done like this. More changes, you think?” Jensen whispered to Jared, pulling the younger boy back from his worrying thoughts.

“Yeah, the Watcher’s Escort isn’t new, but this red carpet is…” Jared said, under his breath. “And THAT is new, too.” He finished nodding towards the stand where a large upright frame made of metal, judging by the legs of the frame showing below the wide, red fabric stretched across the frame, was set up right behind the stand like a backdrop. Jared wondered at the Designer’s need to fancy up the ceremony, but figured it wasn’t his job so why worry about it.

Just as they reached their spot in the line of Hunters, Jensen spotted his mother and father to the left of the stand. His mom grinned happily at him, her eyes dropping to his and Jared’s clasped hands, her eyes shooting back up; questioning.

Jensen gave her a slight nod, the corners of his lips lifting in a small smile. He nearly laughed aloud when she did a little dance then threw her arms around his pleased, yet surprised father.

Just then, Singer held up a fancy gold pocket watch and walked towards the Hunt Bell. Picking up the clapper, everyone watched as he counted down the seconds and then finally, he rang the bell three times and called out in a loud, deep growl.

“This Hunt is over! Watchers… present!”

In almost military precision, the Watchers turned to their right at the same time then marched, with the civilians following close behind them, out in front of the Hunters. Each Watcher pair coming to a perfect stop in front of their wards during the Hunt. The only exception being Osric and Felicia.

Jared and Jensen were at the far left of the line, with Matt and Anna standing in front of them, Anna still carrying a now drowsy Ryon.

One of the Hunt officials went to the red covered backdrop and pulled at the fabric. Jared now realizing it was a curtain that was covering a large, colored diagram complete with pictures of the Hunter teams, each pair under the names of the district they represented – under that were pictures of 2 lark pouches in differing colors, and a picture of their challenge individuals.

Jared didn’t know what to make of it.

The female Hunt official pointed towards the other end of the line from Jared and Jensen, calling out authoritatively. “Watchers present your Hunters.” The crowd seemed to pull in closer as they strained to not miss a thing.

The first two Watchers walked up to a microphone stand situated in the center of the line of Watchers and Hunters but towards the front, closer to the stage. And another Hunt official walked up to the diagram with a wide flat-bottomed basket in his arms.

“Watchers Brown and Sanz for McKinney and Swallow of Smith Center.” The Watcher said in an officious sounding tone. “Both Hunters returned on time.”

Jared and Jensen watched as the man with the basket put a large, green colored magnetic check mark on each of the Hunter’s pictures in the diagram.

The Watcher continued. “One pouch complete. Challenge complete.”

One check on one of the pouches, and another on the picture of the Challenge, the 30-something-year-old man.

The dour Watcher saluted the officials then he and his partner turned and escorted their Hunters out of line and towards where their families waited. Their Challenge went back to his original spot on the sideline. Then the next pair of Watchers was beckoned forward.

“It’s like a scoreboard.” Jensen leaned over to whisper.

“But why is there only two pouches indicated up there? We’re supposed to all find three Larks.”

“The Challenges!” Jensen hissed excitedly.

“What?”

“Oh my Goddess, Jared… I think we w---!”

Matt turned to shush them, and Jensen closed his mouth, but could barely contain his smile. Jared frowned at him in confusion, Jensen mouthed –later- at him and decided to wait and see if Jared will figure it out on his own.

As they were talking, the Watchers for Travis and Sterling reported they’d only found one pouch and hadn’t returned with their Challenge. It was the same for Ty and Rick from Cedar. Challenges have the right to quit if they feel they’re not being treated right. They can then inform the Watchers they want to leave and transport is called in for them.

Lauren and Alona from Kensington made it out with 1 pouch and their challenge. The young girl from Jared and Jensen’s school.

Osric’s and Felicia’s diagram – X’s all the way. But before the Watchers could walk off with Batty Patty, the female official motioned for them to wait, then reported that Osric will survive and will most likely keep his leg and that Felicia preferred staying with him than to come to the ceremony.

She then thanked the Watchers for their timely rescue during the lion attack, and also commended Felicia and Patty for their parts. She had Patty join the other Challenges to the side then gestured at Matt and Anna.

Jared’s hand squeezed Jensen’s spasmodically with nervous energy.

Jensen squeezed back and pulled Jared closer to him. Trying to instill calm and reassurance in the younger boy.

Matt took microphone, no surprise to Jensen or Jared, and gave his report with a stiff, deep tone to his voice that nearly made Jared giggle with how silly he sounded. Anna side-eyed them but she too looked like she was trying to hold in her laughter.

“Watchers Cohen and Milton reporting for Ackles and Padalecki from Lebanon. Both Hunters completed in time.”

Check marks on their pics went up.

“Pouches one and two found and brought back with them.”

Two more checks.

“And Challenge was accepted and brought back safely with them.” Saluting, Matt then turned and herded Anna and Ryon away. Anna went to stand with the Challenges, while Matt went to join the other Watchers who had convened into a small group on the other side.

The female official went up to the podium where the other officials and Singer were standing. The murmur in the crowd rose as people began to wonder what the hold up was. The female official finally stepped to the microphone set into the podium and held up her hands.

“Ladies and Gentlemen… thank you for coming out to support and witness this year’s Hunt - Smith County, Kansas. We understand that the new system is confusing to many and it will be explained real soon. But first let’s go over the Hunter’s instructions as they headed out into the grounds the day before. Hunters, would you please? I’m sure you’ve memorized it, by now.”

As one, the Hunters repeated what they’d been told in the little parchments they were given at the start of the Hunt.

“Don’t go for the obvious  
Look high, look low  
Follow your heart  
Look to the unexpected, look close.”

The female official then took the mic with her as she walked to the end of the stand across from Jared and Jensen.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” She said in much louder tone. “I GIVE YOU THIS YEAR’S ONE AND ONLY WINNING TEAM!”

She held a hand out to Jared and Jensen, beaming happily at them, as the crowd broke out into thunderous applause.

“THIS YEAR’S GRAND CHAMPIONS ARE TEAM LEBANON, JARED PADALECKI AND JENSEN ACKLES!”

Jared blinked in shock as Jensen wrapped him in a joyous hug. He could also see his family and the Ackles’ jumping up and down and screaming for joy.

“Why Mr. Padalecki, you look confused. You won, boy! Smile for the cameras, you’re about to receive your prizes!” Principal Singer said to him, having taken the mic from the official.

“B-but sir… we only found two Larks. How did we win?” Jared asked. Everyone nearby quieted down upon hearing Jared’s words. Some even nodding in agreement, also not sure how the Lebanon team won.

Singer smiled impishly, something Jared in his three years at Lebanon High has never seen him do, before holding a hand out towards the Challenges.

“Challenges please step up to that mic down there – introduce yourselves and explain why you were chosen to be Challenges in this Hunt, if you please.”

Jensen was pretty sure his theory was right, but had to bite his lip to avoid shouting out the answer. Instead, he watched Jared’s face closely, waiting for anticipation.

The teenaged girl came up first. “Hi, I was chosen ‘cause my name is Marian Lark Alton.”

She immediately stepped back and made way for the 30 year old man. “Hello, my name is Calvin Fremont and I was chosen ‘cause I own the On A Lark tour company based out of Topeka.”

Jensen grinned manically as Jared’s face cleared, and brightened with amazement.

By then, the man had stepped away to make room for Batty Patty. “You all know me. And really, Jared, you should know why I was picked. Especially after all the help you’ve rebuilding my house.”

Jared had to only think for a second, before breaking into great peals of laughter, stepping forward to give Patty a big hug.

He looked back at Jensen who was frowning confusedly. Patty saw his expression too and hastened to explain, speaking into the mic. “For those who don’t know. The older residential areas have been around since the town was first built. Many of the houses, including mine date back to an era where homes didn’t just have numbers and street names. They had dignity, they had personality… but most importantly, they had names.”

Patty straightened her spine, standing proudly.  
“My name is Patricia Kelly and I am the owner of a beautiful Victorian on Maple Drive, called The Lark - because of its smaller yet spritely appearance as compared to other homes on my street.” She winked at Jared who was still chuckling, Jensen also now smiling at the indomitable quirky woman.

After she stepped back from the microphone, Anna stepped up with Ryon in her arms. Jared just noticing that Jesse and Cesar were standing at the edge of the crowd closest to where the Challenges had been standing.

For the first time since meeting him, Ryon turned shy, and tried to hide his face in the crook of Anna’s neck. “It’s okay, little man. Go ahead and tell everyone what you practiced.”

“No.” he said, bottom lip pooching out in a pout.

Laughing softly, Jesse Cuevas stepped out of the crowd and went up to Anna, who smiled ruefully, handing over the little were to his parent.

“Hey, baby boy. We practiced this at home many times. Don’t be afraid of all the people here. You can do this.” Jesse crooned encouragingly to his offspring, Cesar coming up behind them to wrap his arms around his husband and son.

He peered down at Ryon and smiled proudly. “You got this, son. Make Da-Da and Da-Ma proud.”

With a stubborn set to his lips, Ryon just frowned and shook his head again. Hiding his face against Jesse’s chest.

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, but still smiling indulgently at his son. Cesar stepped up to the microphone.

“Hello, I am Cesar Cuevas, this is my husband Jesse and our son, Ryon. We are were-lynxes.” He said, matter-of-factly. A murmur rose up as wonderment at the use of lynxes in an annual Wolves’ Hunt was beyond out of the norm. Many called out discontent and outrage at having a Lynx not only present at one of their most sacred events, but to have one be directly involved when there were so many wolves who would’ve been honored to serve.

As the grumblings and shouts grew, Jared and Jensen stepped up to the Cuevas’, showing their support by taking up defensive stances at their flanks. To their surprise, Matt and Anna joined them, followed by all the other Watchers, Hunters and Challenges, even Travis and Sterling. They came streaming out from the crowd from wherever they had gone to watch the closing ceremony, until the Cuevas’ were guarded on all sides except for the small space between them and the grandstand.

It had always been an unwritten belief that those who participate in a Hunt together, no matter if they actually knew each other, had a bond very much like being part of a special club, an informal pack. And it was made abundantly clear to everyone else that the Cuevas’ were considered a part of that pack.

Jared’s eyes teared at the show of camaraderie, and he noticed that Jesse and Cesar also looked touched and heartened by it.

There was a rise of murmuring behind them at the grandstand, and when Jared looked he gasped as a new Were took the stage. The man was huge and impressive looking in all ways. He was nearly 7 feet tall, his body massively muscled; long, thick black hair shot through with streaks of silver tumbling down and nearly reaching the small of his massive back. His skin was like burnt copper, his facial features of American Indian descent with strong brows, straight nose and high cheekbones.

Jensen gasped as he too recognized the huge Head Alpha stepping up to the podium mic. “Malachi Draven, the Grand Alpha of the Midlands.” He murmured in awe as he stared in shock. He knew Grand Alpha was just a title, while Head Alpha was what he was. But with how old and powerful Jensen could sense the venerable wolf to be, Grand Alpha should be his official label.

His own wolf and lykan bowed in obeisance within his mind as he, Jared and everyone else present dropped their heads and turned them slightly to expose their necks to the most powerful Alpha in their region. Jensen’s Lykan could sense the much older Lykan within the bear of a man who had stopped to run his piercing gaze over the entire area, and he quivered slightly in the presence of one so powerful and ancient.

The entire area was a near perfect bubble of silence as everyone present waited to see what would happen next. Even the loudest of the malcontents had ceased their posturing to present their necks. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the nocturnal creatures and bugs beginning to stir in the nearby tall grasses, as well as the sound of many cameras and phones whirring and clicking away; flashes lighting up the darkening field, the sun slowly dropping to the West, automated floodlights on their tall poles coming on one by one.

Principal Singer welcomed another Alpha onto the stage, and Jared and Jensen recognized him as their own Alpha of Lebanon, Marcus Jones. He took up position to the Grand Alpha’s left, but staying two steps behind him, Principal Singer taking position behind them with the Hunt officials at the way back lined up against what Jared was now calling the scoreboard in his mind.

He began to speak in a strong, rich, dominating voice; a thread of his Alpha voice lacing his words. Making everyone in the field shiver with an instinctive need to submit to the large man.

“The Cuevas Family has been graciously offered a home here in Lebanon by Alpha Marcus with full approval of the Council of Were Affairs. Since they’ve been accepted. they have successfully helped the Lebanon pack with two search and rescues and have spearheaded a new department in the government dedicated to search and rescue all over the state; training ten new recruits. In addition, they and their son aided in this inaugural new form of the Hunt.”

He paused to stare intently out at the crowd watching with undivided attention.

“They are Pack! They are a part of us for the rest of their lives. Any Were who has a problem with this can take it up with me here and now.”

Jared smiled as he glanced over and saw Jesse’s and Cesar’s flushed, pleased expressions. He looked at Jensen and saw the older boy was watching him with a warm, loving look in his beautiful green eyes. Jensen leaned in and gave him a soft kiss. In the near perfect silence around them, Jared heard his mother’s muffled squeak of excitement. He couldn’t help but smile against Jensen’s lips.

The Grand Alpha’s attention shifted towards Jared and Jensen, and a few were awed to see a soft, affectionate expression come over his formerly stern and terrifying visage.

“Now on to the actual purpose of this gathering. Misters Padalecki and Ackles. Please join us up here.”

The crowd erupted into cheers, eager to regain the festive atmosphere of earlier.

However, a clear, angry voice rang out over the hubbub. “But wait, we still don’t know why the Lynxes were included in our most sacred of rites.”

Jared’s head whipped around to glare at the man who’d started the initial protest against the Cuevas’.

The man flinched noticeably, but not because of Jared. The Grand Alpha had turned his blazing gaze on him too and with the mic so close to him, it easily picked up the growl of irritation coming from him.

Instead of saying anything though, he turned to nod at Jesse. Raising his chin in a sign of brave defiance, Jesse nodded back and stepped up to the mic.

“In our former pack…” he began. “homosexuality is not only frowned upon, it was made illegal. Even after I was confirmed pregnant with Ryon, our pack refused to acknowledge us and declared us outcast. A penalty of death if we should try to return. Coach Manners found us living on the border of Lebanon and helped us with food and necessities. Even toys and learning material for Ryon as he grew. Then, when the changes to the Hunt were brought to Mayor Marcus, he tasked Coach Manners with finding suitable Challenges. Knowing about Ryon, he knew he’d be a perfect Challenge, and in the process he got us accepted into the pack and found us a real home where Ryon could grow up safe.”

Many of the Weres present gasped in shock and outrage.

The antagonist’s face had gone slack in shock as the Cuevas’ story unfolded. A look of shame and guilt taking over his features. “He is your son?! He’s not adopted? You’re an Omega?”

Jesse shook his head. “No, Lynxes don’t have Omegas. I am a Beta.”

“A life-bearing Beta.” Coach Manners called out from somewhere behind the Cuevas’; Jared instantly recognizing his voice.

The man and many others gasped.

Though there were Betas in the Wolf society, only the females were able to have pups. And since they only went into heat once a year and only ever carried one pup at a time, the idea of a life-bearer of any kind being shunned and thrown out of his home was considered atrocious. Life-bearers were precious. An Omega was rare, the reason why they were so respected and wanted, but a male beta was unheard of. In the eyes of many present, that just made it so that Jesse was even more precious. There is nothing more loved by wolf Weres than their Pack’s young. All children and those who can bring them into the world should are usually respected and treasured.

“I apologize for any disrespect, Beta.” The man said, sincerely. “It is an honor to call you and your mate Brothers. You show great spirit and courage to have survived being outcast and I would gladly give my life for this child and any others you may have.”

Jesse blinked back tears as he smiled at the man and those also calling out acceptance and vows of loyalty to them. Jared couldn’t have been prouder of his Pack.

“Thank you.” Jesse said, his voice rougher with unshed tears. Cesar hugged him with one arm and kissed the side of his face lovingly, murmuring words of encouragement, until Jesse cleared his throat and leaned in towards the mic again. “Anyways, to continue… in my former pack we are raised to put great importance in our Indian heritage. We commune and follow the teachings of our ancestors in all aspects of our lives. Including taking a spirit walk the day of the birth of a child to ascertain what the child’s animal spirit will be. We do it again with the child when they hit puberty. These spirits will act as the child’s guardian and voice of reason as he or she grows.”

Many, including the Grand Alpha nodded, the practices of American Indian lore familiar to many.

“When I did my walk after Ryon was born, I found his guardian spirit to be our very own state bird. The Western Meadowlark. So his full, registered name is Ryon Meadowlark Cuevas.”

Ryon suddenly pulled his face out of Jesse’s neck and leaned into the mic. With perfect clarity, he whistled the call of a lark.

The field erupted into laughter. Even the Grand Alpha’s craggy face cracked a grin. At the rising roar of laughter, Ryon’s eyes had gone wide in alarm and he’d jammed his face back into his father neck again.

Jared turned to grab both of Jensen’s hands in his, doing little hops of excitement as he beamed at his mate. “Ryon was the first Lark! All this time we had the first Lark with us!”

Jensen just nodded and grinned, caught up in the happiness radiating off of Jared.

“Back to the business at hand. Misters Padalecki and Ackles, if you would ascend the stage and come receive your rewards.”

Jared and Jensen, holding hands, climbed the stairs just to the side of the grandstand and went to stand before the Grand Alpha.

An official looking scroll was handed to the Grand Alpha, who perused it briefly before speaking. In his powerful, dramatic voice, Grand Alpha Draven began describing Jared and Jensen’s Hunt from start to finish.

The finding of Ryon. Who was, unknown at the time, the first Lark.

Meeting the Cuevas’.

Finding the first cloves pouch at the rapids. And though his description of what had happened at that time was sparse and to the point, many, including their own families and friends gasped and made moans of distress as they heard the story. Everyone cheered when the outcome was both boys safe and the second Lark successfully retrieved.

The Cuevas’ had retreated to the sidelines as the story unfolded, and when the Grand Alpha got to Ryon’s part in acquiring the last Lark, many reached out to pat him and ruffle his hair. Having gotten over his shyness, the little Lynx smiled and giggled at all the attention. That is, until his Cesar mock-growled about little cubs not heeding the commands of adults and putting his life in danger, needing a lesson in discipline. Cesar let his son worry for all of two seconds before giving into an affectionate smile and kissing his son soundly on the cheek, making the little boy happy again.

Finally, the dejected yet determined march to make it back before the deadline expired.

Jared and Jensen stood, watching in dread of what they knew was coming next, as two of the male officials rolled over a small metal cart. On it, arranged neatly, was a hand carved stone bowl with a small pool of melted silver in it, a white ceramic bowl with water and ice cubes in it, two clean, white cloths sitting next to it and a small forge with a small, wooden handled branding iron sitting in the bright red coals.

Jared swallowed nervously as he realized what was coming next.

Long ago, silver was deadly to all Weres – and it still was to some of the other species of Weres. But from the first wolf that bred with a human, every subsequent generation from there on had built up a resistance to the metal. For modern wolves, the only effect it had on them was that wounds from silver left permanent scars when healed.

Taking the small branding iron, Draven held it in one hand as he held out the other to Jensen in a beckoning motion. Jensen proudly stepped forward, allowing Draven to take his chin. The older Head Alpha lifted and turned Jensen’s head so that Jensen’s right cheek was presented to him. Dipping the brand lightly into the melted silver so that only the surface of the design was coated, he turned and expertly pressed it to Jensen’s skin before any of the silver could drip off.

Jared bit his lip and clenched his hands as he watched Jensen stiffen his jaw in pain, struggling to keep as still as possible. Draven counted to three and then removed the brand, returning it to the forge before grabbing up one of the clean cloths, dipping it in the icy water and then pressing it firmly to where the hot silver was burning into Jensen’s flesh.

Jared’s wolf whimpered in his mind, upset at seeing their mate in pain. Unknowingly, a couple of tears escaped Jared’s eyes; trailing silently down his cheeks as he watched Jensen intently. The innate nurturing nature of an Omega making him cry with empathy – especially because it was his own mate.

After a couple seconds more, Draven removed the cloth and the silver dropped into Draven’s hand; a thin silver impression of the Goddess Luna’s symbol… the crescent moon. Burned into Jensen’s skin, was a black and red duplicate that was healing even as everyone watched.

The red, inflamed skin soon turned into shiny scar tissue that was a little darker than Jensen’s skin tone. A permanent mark stating that Jensen was a Hunt Champion. For the rest of his life, Jensen would be shown deference and respect. He will also have the privilege of staying at any Hunt Headquarters all over North America, and other continents around the world.

“With this mark, you are hereby a favorite of the Goddess Luna. May her blessings shine upon you forever more.” Draven intoned.

Jensen bowed his head and present his neck to the Grand Alpha in acceptance and a show of loyalty. When he turned to look at Jared, he frowned when he saw the tear tracks on his omega’s face. He went to wipe them with his fingers when Draven stopped him.  
“The tears of an Omega are sacred. I see a trail lies over where I will place his brand. It will add to the potency of the Goddess’ Blessing and protection.” He gestured for Jared to come to him, even as he was checking that any silver still on the small brand had burned off in the forge, leaving the brand clean and glowing red again.

Draven took Jared’s trembling hand and pulled him forward, gently. “Don’t fear, pretty one.” He murmured, encouragingly. “The pain will be over and done with before you know it.”

He then took Jared’s chin in his empty hand, lifted and turned it so that his left cheek was presented. Before the Grand Alpha could reach for the brand, Jared asked. “Why the left cheek, Alpha? Might sound silly, but I’d like mine to match Jensen’s, please.”

Draven smiled affectionately down at Jared, the hand gripping his chin sliding up to cup the side of his face. “My dear omega. You are a life bearer. Life-bearers are sacred in Luna’s eyes. Which is why they are important to us as a pack. Your heart lies more to the left of your body and so Luna prefers to be closer to your heart.”

“Oh.” Jared said, blinking in comprehension. All his life he’d seen the mark on Hunt Champions and never questioned the significance of which side of their face it was on. He’d always thought it was just a matter of preference.

“Here we go, dear boy. I will be quick to avoid causing any more pain than necessary.”

True to his word, Draven quickly and efficiently marked Jared with the brand. Afterwards, one of the male officials stepped up with two small, beautifully carved wooden boxes lined with felt. One with dark blue felt, the other in a deep ruby red color. Draven placed Jensen’s silver impression in the blue-lined box and Jared’s in the red. He then handed it to them. 

Draven then stepped back to allow Alpha Marcus to turn the boys towards the crowd as he called out in a deep, thundering voice that needed no help from the microphone.

“Ladies and Gentlemen… Lebanon Pack and visitors! This year’s Hunt Champions!” he then grabbed the arm of the boys closest to him and raised them high in the air.

The field erupted into a thunderous roar of applause and shouts. Camera flashes lighting up the fast drawing night.

Grand Alpha Draven suddenly threw back his head and howled. The sound so primal and soul rending that Jared and Jensen couldn’t hold back – throwing their heads back they howled with them. Soon every Were on the field with the exception of the Cuevas’ and the few humans who were trusted enough to be allowed to attend the Hunt.

Jared and Jensen were kept on the stage long enough to receive the bank drafts for their monetary prize and were informed of the new prize added to the ceremony.

The new prize was the granting of a wish. It had to be a wish within the powers of the North American Hunters Council and the wish had to be agreed upon by both of the winners. They were told they could go home and think about it. When both decided on what they wanted to ask for, they were to go to the Smith County Hunt Headquarters and present themselves for it. They were then released to the crowd of friends and family eagerly awaiting them behind the scoreboard.

Then they walked down the stairs hand in hand, and were engulfed by their friends and family; hugging, kissing, backslapping – tears and laughter reigning for quite a while.

And during the entire time, it was only Sherry and Donna, the women having fallen back to the edge of the small crowd surrounding the boys, that noticed that Jared and Jensen, despite how much they were being jostled about by their well-wishers, never once let go of the others hand.


	11. "Still Finding Ways To Surprise Me, Pretty One?" & Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it... the end! Wow, I can't thank you all enough for sticking with me all this time. ( A little over 6 months! )
> 
> To the four women who never let me quit and kept me motivated and inspired.  
> Jennie M. W.  
> Mari K. R.  
> Cynthia C.  
> Teresa P.  
> I love you ladies to Infinity & Beyond! :D
> 
> Also big thank you to my avid readers who make it a point to always comment and to keep sending me encouragement and praise, but who also care enough to point out mistakes and inconsistencies. Thank you for caring that much and for having faith that I'd finish in this lifetime. :D <3

 

  


__  
**One Year Later…**  
Jared kept an eye on his cap as he flung it into the air along with the multitude of others that had been thrown up into the air as well. He watched and noted exactly where it landed before turning and joining his friends; hopping and cheering with excitement. He wanted to make sure he could retrieve his cap later, recalling his mother’s dire warning to be sure he brought it back with him so that she could add it to the collection of stuff she’d kept as remembrances of his life.

Her collection had always been a little embarrassing to him, I mean, who in their right mind kept the first lock of hair from a first haircut, anyways? But it was a long known fact that no one messed with his Mama when it came to her collection.

As soon as the hubbub began to die down, Jared broke free to collect his cap and then laughed as his friends descended on him en masse and began rushing him out of the auditorium that had been built using the proceeds from Jared and Jensen’s win at the state-wide Hunt in Wichita a couple of months ago.

 

  


This time, they’d had to find four items and one Challenge in two days, and return safely with them to the starting point. Because they worked better together, and having some experience, the Hunt had actually been a little easier for them.

Sure, there had been some hair-rising moments, like having to traverse a rickety suspension bridge hundreds of feet in the air to get to the third item, while encouraging and urging on a pampered beta, their Challenge. The young beta had never been outside the city of Wichita in his entire seventeen years of life, and had no survival skills at all. He had tested Jensen’s patience on more than one occasion, and Jared had found himself being referee for many of their arguments.

Despite this, they had managed to go on to become one of only two teams to complete the Hunt successfully and to receive the North Star brand. The mark of a state Champion.

As soon as his parents and Jensen had seen him receive his diploma, give his Valedictorian speech and taken what must’ve been hundreds of photos of him, they’d waved goodbye and then rushed out, his parents pushing Jensen along as his boyfriend kept craning backwards to look back at Jared.

“Guys, relax! We have plenty of time.” He protested mildly, as Sandy and Genevieve began fussing with his hair the moment they hit the parking lot and started heading for Jared’s little Jeep.

Chad, who was leading the way with the keys to Jared’s Jeep clutched in one hand, turned to frown back at Jared. “Only you would wanna hold your bonding ceremony the day of your graduation, Jay. You and Jensen have got everyone running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You must be dying for Jen’s knot.”

Jared blushed but didn’t disagree. Everyone who knew them knew about Jensen’s stand about no knotting until Jared graduated from Lebanon High. Some quite intimately, considering how many times he’d been caught trying to change Jensen’s mind in the last year or so.

He grinned smugly back at his best friend even as Sandy turned to frown back at Chad. “Oh shut it, Chad. I think it’s romantic how Jensen wanted to start their lives together the right way.”

“Okay well, I guess I can see how Jensen wanted to respect you and your parents and all.” Chad conceded as he unlocked the Jeep and clambered into the driver’s seat, they’d agreed beforehand that Chad would drive so that the girls could start primping Jared. “But I bet those balls must be as blue as the sky right about now, huh Jay?” he chortled, even as Gen smacked the back of his head for his crudeness. 

“Are you so naïve enough to think that those two haven’t been doing everything else but knotting for over a year, Chad? Really?!” Gen asked, incredulously. “You’ve seen how they can’t keep their hands off each other all the time, not to mention all the times we’ve caught them making out.”

“Yeah!” Sandy chimed in with her sweet, high voice. “Handjobs, rub sessions, fellatio…?”

Jared blushed furiously even as he struggled to keep from laughing at Chad’s gape-mouthed expression.

“SANDY!” Chad shouted, shocked.

“What? I have internet and a computer!”

“Oh Goddess, I’m not gonna go down that road. Nope!” Chad muttered as he reversed and then pealed out of the parking lot.

From there, time seemed to fly by as anticipation, fear, wonder, joy and dread raced through his mind.

Chad got them to the high school in record time. The girls rushed Jared out of the Jeep, through the packed parking lot, through the eerie, empty halls and into the Girl’s Locker Room in the gymnasium where he knew his Mama would be waiting for him.

Jared was surprised to find Donna Ackles waiting there, too.

“Alphas have this thing about their Mamas helping them to dress, so Jensen only wanted his father with him. I was hoping maybe you could use an extra hand.” Donna Ackles was a proud woman and Jared knew she wasn’t begging, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say no to the light of hope in the eyes that were an exact match for Jensen’s. Jared nodded happily.

“So… since the bride here has all the female help he could need why don’t we go check on the groom?” Chad chortled, holding out his arm in invitation to Alan and Gerry, who’d been standing to the side looking lost amongst all the preparations. 

Jared snatched up a soccer ball that had been left sitting on a nearby bench and snapped it hard at Chad, catching him right in the gut, forcing the smaller boy to bow forward, arms automatically wrapping around the ball, a loud ‘oof’ punching out of his gaping mouth.

“I may be Omega, Murray. But I can still whoop your ass!” Jared snarled, a sassy smile on his lips.

“Noted.” Chad gasped as he struggled to stand upright again, dropping the ball at his feet.

Gerry laughed and wrapped a large arm around the red-faced boy. “When will you ever learn not to mess with my boy, Murray?” He then dragged Murray out with him, Alan chuckling softly, as he followed them out.

With them gone, the women went into high gear preparing Jared. Everything began rushing by Jared again until he found himself standing by Jensen at the grandstand set up in the large field behind the school.

His Mama and the other ladies had dressed him in soft, woolen dove gray pants and jacket with a button down, long-sleeved purple shirt beneath it and shiny black dress shoes on his feet. His only adornment were the brands on his cheek, the silver impressions of the quarter moon and north star hanging from a simple leather thong around his neck and a living circlet of flowers on his head. A symbol that marked him as a life-bearer.

The circlet had been grown and cultivated for him by his mother these past few months. The flowers were in variegated shades of purple that perfectly matched his shirt and had been started the day after Jared and Jensen had told their parents that they planned on having a bonding ceremony.

When asked why the color purple, Sherry Padalecki had simply replied. “Blue and red make purple.”

During the entire ceremony Jared never took his eyes off of Jensen who had been dressed similarly to Jared, his suit a slightly darker gray, and only the silver impressions on its own thong around his neck.

Before he knew it, they were exchanging rings, chosen together two weeks ago, kissing and then being applauded as they were being shown over to where the photographer was waiting for them.

All the guests were then ushered into the gymnasium where the reception was to be held.

Four and a half hours later, after having enjoyed good food, wild dancing and even wilder speeches by friends and family, Jared and Jensen were rushed out to the waiting limo laughing as they were pelted with handfuls of rice by overzealous friends and family.

Before they could jump into the limo, Jared was stopped by someone grabbing his arm, trying to get his attention.

“Osric!” Jared exclaimed when he turned to look, recognizing the slight figure limping up to him. “Hey man, so glad you could make it. Is Fel here?”

“Yeah she’s back in the gym trying to figure out how to stuff a whole cake in her purse. We tried to come up and say hi to you earlier but you seemed so busy.”

“Never too busy for a good friend, man.”

Osric beamed happily, smiling also at Jensen as he ducked back out of the limo to see what was holding up Jared. “Fel and this damaged wolf just wanted to thank you for what you did for us and so many other Hunters. Giving up your first wish to make sure we got some recompense and recognition, having them change back that statute. It still amazes me.”

“We told you before, dude.” Jensen said, with a smile. “It was the right thing to do. You guys deserved better.”

“Have you decided what you’re gonna ask for your second wish?”

“Nah, the Council said there is no time limit on a wish. When we’re ready to cash it in, we can do it any time.”

“That’s great, so I know this is a bad time, but I just wanted to let you know since you won’t be back in time for it, but Fel and I decided to become a bonded pair.”

“Wait, so not a mating bond?”

“Nah, you know she loves the ladies almost as much as I do, but we’re gonna make it so no one can mate one of us without mating the other, too.”

“Wow that is amazing! You guys are such great friends, I know you’ll be happy together no matter you mate with.” Jared smiled, happy for his friends.

“I hope so. I told Fel she didn’t have to cut down her chances by bonding up with me, but when Peter dumped me after I was injured, she made up her mind that no one will get to have me without her say so. You know how stubborn and protective she is.”

“I hope you two find a mate worthy of the both of you. You both deserve it.”

“Well, that’s all I wanted to tell you. Don’t let me keep you from your honeymoon, now. Git!” Osric growled, playfully.

“Yep, we’ve got a flight to catch.” Jensen said, as he stepped back into the limo. “Get your cute butt in here, mate!”

Using one hand to guide Jared’s head so that he doesn’t bump it against the door frame, Jensen wrapped his other arm around Jared’s waist and pulled him into the limo. The younger man squealing then laughing in surprise.

“We’ll get together when we get back and celebrate you and Fel’s bonding, Oz!” Jared called out before Jensen could close the door.

The driver got them to the airport with enough time for Jared and Jensen to grab some frappes and coffee at a café located inside the terminal. Jared had started getting drowsy from all the champagne he’d drank earlier and the caffeine helped to counter it.

Still, halfway through the direct flight to Paris, he found himself falling asleep, snuggled up to Jensen in their first class seats. The flight and the stay in Paris a gift from both sets of parents.

Because Jared had a graduation and a bonding ceremony in one day, he was exhausted after an almost 11 hour flight. After checking into their luxurious suite, Jensen had him eat a light meal, take a quick shower and then helped his stumbling drowsy mate to prepare for bed. He then spooned him from behind, holding him securely in his arms as the young omega fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Following his mate into sleep a mere 10 minutes later.

They awoke a couple of hours later to a call from the concierge to remind them about their dinner reservations, also arranged by their parents. They had a little over an hour to get to dinner, so they took some time for pleasure in the large, well-stocked shower. Jared’s back to Jensen’s chest, he undulated his body like a wave against Jensen, focusing his movement on Jensen’s large, hot hard member that was riding the crease of Jared’s ass. Knowing that because they were bonded, Jensen didn’t want to risk penetrating Jared for fear he wouldn’t be able to keep from knotting him. And so, all they did was rub against each other in an ever increasing pace while Jensen worked Jared’s hard length with one large, wet hand.

In almost record time, the intoxicating smell of their spunk permeated the steam laden air of the bathroom even as the double showerheads in the ceiling rinsed the spent off their bodies and down the drain.

At the fancy restaurant, Jensen and Jared kept looking at each other with amusement as the restaurant staff nearly fell over themselves trying to serve them. The manager himself coming out to seat them, gushing about what an honor it was to serve Hunt Champions, let alone, double winners. His brother, the manager says, is a Champion too, and they had both followed and cheered for Jared and Jensen during the televised coverage of the all-state Hunt.

After thanking the manager graciously for his support, they were shown to a private table on a raised section that was partially enclosed by a half-wall with potted plants set into a niche at top of the wall, forming a perfect screen. On the other side of their table was a wall of windows with double glass doors that led out onto a small balcony dotted with larger, lush plants and small trees set into large, decorative pots.

Jared couldn’t help but gasp and coo over how beautiful the view was through the glass, and immediately rushed out the doors to stand at the balcony’s railing, staring in awe at the vista spread out before them. “I love this city. It’s so beautiful!” he gushed, beaming back at Jensen who’d followed him out.

Jensen smiled back at him lovingly as he stepped up behind him, wrapping his arms around Jared’s slim waist, clasping his hands low on Jared’s firm, flat stomach. “Nothing’s as beautiful as you, sweetheart.”

Jared blushed, the restaurant manager beaming at the pretty picture they made. He then turned to leave them alone, nodding approval at the waitress who was standing at perfect attention beside the lovers’ table.

She greeted them warmly as they returned from the balcony and seated themselves, side by side, at the table. The waitress had served many newly bonded weres, and newly married humans in her many years working as a waitress, but it was still a heartwarming thing to see when a couple was so obviously made for each other. Even ones as young as Jared and Jensen.

The young weres stayed pressed to each other as they ate course after course brought to them. Feeding each other occasionally, giving lingering kisses every now and then, and often just pausing as they ate to gaze lovingly at each other.

Even with the knowledge that tonight they would finally be fully mated set a low level current of excitement running through them, Jared and Jensen didn’t feel the need to rush things. They savored every minute together, both of them cataloguing as many details of the night as they could.

They were both too full for dessert, so the waitress had it boxed for them in a shiny red cardboard box tied up with a gold sash. Jensen tried to tip her generously, but as with many high end restaurants, tips were not accepted. The waitress assured them in her charming French accent that the honor of serving them was a reward in itself. 

Jared giggled, leaning against Jensen, as they strolled casually back to their hotel. “I forgot that places like that consider getting tipped in bad taste. She was nice though, for not making fun of our bumpkin ways.”

“Well, I’ve traveled with my parent all over the U.S. and have never eaten in a place as fancy as that. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

Back at their suite, Jensen led Jared through the large living area of the suite, then paused to kiss him in the small sitting room, double doors to the bedroom standing open invitingly on one side, a smaller door on the other that Jensen knew led straight into a powder room and then on into the main bathroom.

“You go get ready for bed first, I’ll be in soon. Just need to get some stuff.”

“Okay.” Jared mumbled, biting back an eager smile.

He turned to head into the bedroom, squeaking when Jensen slapped his ass.

“Mmm…. That hot ass of yours drives me crazy!” he playfully growled.

Jared paused in the doorway to look back over his shoulder as he slowly peeled his jacket off. Dropping it to the floor, he poked his butt out slightly, knowing how well his slacks framed his ass. Peering through his lashes, voice rough with growing desire. “Well don’t take too long then. Wouldn’t want this ass getting cold, would ya?

Jared laughed delightedly as Jensen growled out words like ‘tease’ and ‘damn omega’ while squeezing the large bulge in his pants to try and ease the pressure; Jensen turned back to head out to the main part of the suite as Jared continued on into the bedroom, rushing to prepare himself for Jensen.

Jensen returned to the bedroom with a plastic bag of bottled water and a platter he’d set their uneaten desserts on, and then surrounded them with the complimentary cut fruits he’d found in the refrigerator.

He froze in the doorway to the bedroom as he caught sight of Jared waiting for him, the bag of water dropping from his hand, the platter of food nearly following. 

Jared stood smack dab in the center of the room, legs crossed demurely, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed coquettishly back at Jensen, his face framed by his long and wild chestnut hair.

Jared was wearing white knee-high socks, the red high-cut spanky pants worn by Lebanon High’s cheerleaders and nothing else. The younger man was already fully hard, the dusky red tip of his cock peeking out of the top of the tiny shorts. The sight flooding Jensen’s mouth with saliva, the Alpha swallowing convulsively as his eyes ran up and down Jared’s body; drinking in every inch. When Jared took his hands out from behind his back, Jensen saw he was holding small red pompoms.

Jensen hastily deposited the platter of food on a nearby end table, as Jared propped his hands on his hips and began slowly swaying his hips as he turned in place. Jensen only now registering the soft, sultry music coming from the rooms built in sound system.

“Ya like?” Jared asked, voice rough and low.

Jensen was trying to unbutton his shirt, but ripped it off instead the moment Jared turned fully around showing off how the tiny spandex shorts ran up the plush cheeks of Jared’s ass before plunging down between them. Framing it perfectly as the muscles beneath the soft-looking skin flexed with Jared’s movements.

Jensen’s knees wobbled when he noticed the slick leaving a wet patch on the shorts, shiny smears on the insides and the backs of Jared’s thighs. Jensen couldn’t hold back the whimper of pure need and want.

Jared laughed throatily as a couple of buttons landed near him, he completed his turn, faceing Jensen again. Jensen’s eyes followed Jared’s hands hungrily as the omega began running his hands up his abdomen, until reaching his already peaked nipples and began pinching them, softly.

Jensen gurgled, then whined in frustration as he struggled to take off his pants, forgetting to take his shoes off first. Growling, Jensen reached down to pull off one shoe then the other. Sending them over his shoulder without a care, refusing to take his eyes off of Jared.

The moment Jensen got his pants and boxers off he started for Jared. The younger man laughing happily as he tossed his pompoms over his shoulders, shouting ‘Finally!’ as he reached out both arms in welcome to Jensen.

The moment Jared landed on the bed, he sank in so far that all you could see was a corona of his hair spread out on the pure white, ultra-plush quilt, his nose and laughing mouth. Even his arms and legs had sunk out of sight, while patches of the rest of his body were still visible.

“What the…!” Jensen muttered in surprise, setting Jared off on another long peal of laughter. “Oh, it’s so funny, huh? Geez, how many sheep and ducks are walking about bare ass naked just to make this one quilt?!”

Jared was now red faced and gasping for air.

Shaking his head as he gazed down at his mate; affection and love shining in his green eyes. Jensen fished one of Jared’s arms out of the smothering bedding and pulled him up and off the bed, until the tall, lithe omega was back on his feet, now chuckling weakly as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.

Jensen mock-growled as he stripped the heavy, poufy quilt off the bed. “Making love shouldn’t start off with a search and rescue. Geez, we could suffocate in this thing!”

Jared smiled adoringly at his Alpha as the older man dragged the quilt over to the small sitting area near the fire, dumping it on the settee.

“Making love, huh?” Jared murmured. His voice soft, deep. “Back when we first met, I would’ve bet you only knew it as ‘fucking’ or some other crude term for sex. But here you are, one little bonding ceremony and you turn into Mr. Sensitive.”

“Back when we first met, I thought you’d have a breakdown if you broke a nail or missed a hair appointment.” Jensen teased as he walked slowly up to Jared, resting his large, callused hands on Jared’s slim hips. “Instead, you’re a kickass two-time Hunt Champion. I’m shocked, really.”

In a mere year, Jared had shot up in height to where Jensen had to now look up at him. His shoulders had also broadened, muscles more defined. But he still had that long, slim look to him that Jensen loved.

Jensen ran his hands soothingly up Jared’s abs, skating his fingers lightly over the younger Were’s already taut nipples; as Jared huffed indignantly, struggling to keep his pout from dissolving into giggles, when Jensen’s fingers began trailing softly over Jared’s ribs.

As Jensen dropped his hands to the jut of Jared’s hips, thumbs tracing the downward V where legs met torso, he turned and guided Jared back towards the large bed; its surface a slightly rumpled flat plane of silk in the same royal purple used at their bonding ceremony.

Jared simpered prettily, playfully batting his lashes at Jensen, mouth in a perfect pink moue. “You think it’s easy being this pretty? It takes work, sweety.”

Jensen gently laid his mate out on the silken surface, his eyes gleamed at the way the color complemented Jared’s tanned, toned body. Framing it like a piece of art. He crawled up on the bed on his hands and knees, as if stalking the younger man as he scooted his body towards the center of the bed. The hazel in his beautiful eyes nearly eaten up by fully dilated, lust blown pupils as they stared hungrily up at Jensen.

“I will always appreciate you getting all pretty for me, honey. But you will always be at your most beautiful just like this. Hair messed by my hands, lips swollen by my kisses, body hot and hard and ready only for me.”

“Only for you.” Jared groaned, even as he parted his legs to allow Jensen to slide between them and lay his heavier body atop his.

In the year they’ve been together, being young and nearly always horny, there wasn’t much Jared and Jensen haven’t done, sexually. But the one thing they’ve always refrained from doing was knotting. Once they knotted, their bond would be complete and there’d be no turning back, they’d be mated for life. Jensen had promised his Mama he’d wait for Jared to at least finish high school. And no one, absolutely no one, broke a promise made to Mama Ackles.

Jared felt as if it was their first time again, and he couldn’t help the shiver that traveled through him at the thought of –finally!- getting to this part of their relationship. He’d never done anything that was so life-changing and so permanent before, and Jared was able to admit, at least to himself, that he was a little scared..

Sensing his nervousness through the still new and fragile mental bond they had, Jensen leaned back on his elbows to stare down at his husband. “Jay, you okay?” he asked softly, one thumb smoothing at the crease of worry forming on Jared’s high forehead.

Shaking off his fear, Jared locked eyes with Jensen even as one hand snaked down their bodies and took Jensen in his hand, making the older man gasp, his eyes hooding over lazily as Jared began a slow, firm stroke. “I’m fine.” Jared whispered. “Just feels like I’ve waited forever for you. Was a little overwhelmed.”

Raising one leg, he hooked it over Jensen’s lower back, as he rubbed the head of Jensen’s large length against his opening. His own slick smoothing the way.

Taking a deep breath, then releasing it slowly, Jared pushed just the head into him. His mouth dropping open in shocked pleasure as the large head stretched his outer rim deliciously. Jared closed his eyes, savoring the feel. “Move.” He murmured, softly, just as Jensen began to rock into him slowly, having felt Jared’s need for him through their bond.

They had gone this far before, but each time Jensen’s rampant desire and eagerness had caused his knot to swell too early and after only a couple of thrusts he’d had to pull out early each time and finish them off by pumping their cocks together, or rubbing against each other until they both came.

This time, he didn’t let up as he continued pushing in, further than he’d ever gone before. Jared moaning as Jensen stretched him more and more. His eyes rolled up as Jensen hit bottom, fully encased in Jared’s rippling, hot channel. They both gasped again as a Jensen’s cock was suddenly bathed in another rush of slick from Jared. Jared could actually feel it seeping out from around Jensen’s pulsing member, trailing down his ass cheeks and probably beginning to soak the silk sheets beneath them.

“Oh Goddess, Jensen… so full. You’re filling me up so good.”

“Baby… ah, baby. You’re so perfect, the way you’re taking all of me. Ah fuck… I need to move.”

“Do it… move. Fuck me, Jen.”

With a long, drawn out groan, Jensen pulled back ‘til only the head was still inside Jared’s quivering hole. Then plunged back in with one fell swoop, ripping a cry out of Jared. He froze, thinking he’d hurt his mate, but when he looked down, Jared’s cat-like eyes gazed up at him with a fast growing heat building in his lust blown eyes. The amazing swirl of the hazel a bare rim around his lust blown pupils.

“Do that again!” Jared nearly shouted, writhing beneath Jensen, trying to get him to move.

Reassured, Jensen pulled back again then pushed back in, quickly building up a rhythm that soon had Jared’s head thrashing about wildly on the silk sheets. His soft, silken hair whipping about even as his hips picked up the rhythm and began moving opposite tandem of Jensen. Pushing up as Jensen pushed down, tightening his channel as Jensen pulled out, feeling every inch of the pulsing hardness as it slid out of him.

After a couple of minutes of steady pumping, Jared running his hands over every inch of Jensen that he could reach, the sound of their bodies slapping together, mixing with their incoherent babbling and heavy breathing. Jared swallowed heavily and threw his other leg up and around Jensen’s waist, hooking his ankles together, as he pulled Jensen down for a messy, frantic kiss.

“Harder, oh Goddess help me, right there! Right there… Jensen!” Jared cried out as Jensen picked up his pace. “I want your knot. Why aren’t you knotting me? Last time you could barely wait.” Jared gasped out, looking up at Jensen, worriedly.

Grinning down at his mate, Jensen relaxed his arms so that he could bring his body flush with the long, sweaty overheated line of Jared’s lean build. He continued pushing into Jared, but at a slower pace as he kissed his way up the younger man’s long graceful neck. Sucking on his adam’s apple until Jared groaned.

“Oh, I’m gonna knot you alright. But I kinda… um…”

“What?”

“I kinda cheated.”

Eyes widening in shock, Jared pushed Jensen up by his shoulders so he could look him in the face. “You WHAT?!” Jared snarled, his wolf surged in his mind, snapping ferociously to where Jensen’s inner wolf reared back in shock, his lykan bristling in surprise.

“No! Not CHEAT, cheat… I’d never do that!” Jensen halted his thrusts as he rushed to explain. “I jacked off twice today to make sure I could make our knotting tonight, special. I just didn’t wanna blow too early again.”

“Oh.” Jared said, deflating. The hands at Jensen’s shoulders softening and then sliding across Jensen’s muscled shoulders to cup behind his neck. “Sorry. I just…”

“No, I’m sorry. It was a bad choice of words. Goddes, baby… do you know how crazy I am for you? I’d never be able to cheat on you. You’re my everything, Jared.”

“Is it really that hard for you to hold back?” Jared smirked, rolling his hips and watching Jensen gasp as he was reminded that he was hilt-deep in Jared’s hot, silken channel. As if the Alpha needed reminding.

“Are you kidding?” he growled, shoving himself even deeper, making the omega gasp, too. “I think about you almost every second of the day. Just hearing your name has me twitching in my pants.”

Leaning in to lay his body over Jared’s, the omega’s cock trapped between their stomachs. He nuzzled along Jared jawline, up to his ear. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you. Sauntering up to me all Queen Bitch and all. Your minions trailing behind you. Realizing you were meant to be mine just made it that much sweeter.”

“I’m sorry I fought you.” Jared whispered. “I was scared of you. My Dad always said it would take a strong Alpha to rein me in. He usually said it after I’d gotten in trouble for one thing or another. I knew you were my mate, but I thought all you’d want was an obedient little omega that wants nothing more than to take your knot and bear your pups. Barefoot and pregnant at sixteen. I… I couldn’t…”

Jensen groaned as he swiveled his hips, then reared back a bit to frown down at his mate. “Can we PLEASE not talk about your DAD while I’m inside you? That is, unless you want me to finish or not?”

Jensen bounced slightly as Jared threw back his head and laughed. The sound pealing out and wrapping around Jensen’s heart. He vowed again to make sure it was a regular sound in their lives for however long they lived.

Smiling mischievously, Jensen wrapped his arms around Jared and rolled, the Omega’s laugh turning into a squeak of surprise as he tumbled with Jensen until they stopped with Jared now straddling his Alpha; the move so quick, Jensen never once slipped out.

Jared’s weight forced him to settle further into Jensen, both of them groaning with desire at the feel.

“Take me, baby. Make me yours.” Jensen said, voice rough, and deep. Sending more chills straight down Jared’s spine, his cock now dribbling precome in a steady stream, tracing patterns on Jensen’s rock hard abs.

Jared braced his knees against the soft bed and began sliding himself up and down Jensen’s length, he could feel Jensen’s knot finally beginning to grow.

Jared’s movement became slow and methodical as he felt Jensen’s knot popping in and out of him. Enjoying the grunts and shouts of pleasure every time the knot went in and out. At one point, Jared kept the knot inside him and then squeezed with his inner muscles as hard as he could, and Jensen lost all coherency. Flopping back on the bed, head thrashing back and forth, even as he braced his feet on the bed and began thrusting his hips up at Jared, fucking him with long, hard strokes that left Jared in a nearly mindless state atop Jensen.

Both so caught up in the feral state of copulation; the base act of perpetuating the species that Jared didn’t notice Jensen’s eyes beginning to glow – Jensen unaware of anything besides the mind-blowing pleasure flooding his mind and his senses. He took no notice of his Lykan slowly taking over, guiding Jensen’s mind into a pleasure-soaked daze, and then the Lykan snapped to the fore, taking control of the body and shifting it just as Jensen’s knot fully engaged and locked itself inside Jared.

Jared screamed as the knot bulged inside him, the pleasure so overwhelming he nearly passed out from it. He thought he was fainting when his vision seemed to ripple and turn black, but then his vision cleared, registering a much larger and hairier chest beneath him. His eyes rolled back in his head as the cock and its knot also seemed to double in size, while still inside him.

-Jensen shifted… Lykan!- was all Jared’s fuzzy mind could comprehend, before the Lykan flipped them again so that Jared was beneath him, his knot tugging painfully yet pleasurably at Jared’s rim as they moved.

“Jared… mate.” The Lykan’s gravelly rumble travelled through Jared like a pressure wave of lust and desire. “Make ours now. ALL of ours.” He said, before snapping his head forward to bite deep into Jared’s shoulder, right where it curved up to the side of his neck.

Jared’s scream of pain choked off and melted into a drawn out groan of pleasure as the Lykan rutted against him, rubbing his huge knot directly against Jared’s prostate, sending cartwheels of fireworks spinning across Jared’s vision. Lykan then carefully pulled his teeth out of Jared and then lapped at the blood until the wound stopped bleeding.

“Now perfect.” Lykan smiled down at Jared. Even with the rows of razor sharp teeth, it was a beautiful smile. “Perfect, pretty mate… shift!” the Lykan Alpha commanded.

With a shocked shout, Jared felt as if his body’s temperature spiked and a twisting dizzy feeling overcame him. -JENSEN!- scared, unsure… his mind shouted for his mate and the Alpha’s mind snapped out of its daze, and took back control of his body.

“Jared!” he gasped out, as he stared down at the Lykan he was now locked into.

Jared was whimpering; his large, heavily furred and taloned hands covering his face. “Don’t look. Ugly now.”

Jensen was about to rush to reassure his mate when he felt his knot going down. So instead, he took a couple seconds to ease slowly out of Jared’s Lykan.

He now knew what others felt when they were seeing his Lykan for the first time. Jensen wasn’t intimidated by Jared’s size, because even in this new shape, it was still undeniably Jared. His mate. His love. His life. There was nothing to be afraid of. Now, he just needed to teach Jared that.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

**EPILOGUE:**

 

__  
**Another year or so later…**  


 

“THERE’S OUR BABIES! OH GODDESS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING OUR BABIES HOME!”

Jared and Jensen cringed as the loud screech cut the early evening air, everyone within earshot laughing as they turned to see the two, tall strapping male Weres getting mobbed by two mature Betas, who seemed determined to kiss their cheeks until all their lipstick rubbed off. Both young men looking ready to break free and run for the hills.

“Mamaaaa!” Jared whined, peering down at his mother from his now 6’5” height, but still looking like a little boy as he tried to reason with his mother as she reached up and started fussing with his hair. “Why do you always have to announce our arrival to everyone in the neighborhood who still has some hearing leftover from the last time we were here?”

“What are you talking about, dear? You are my only son, I haven’t seen you in a very long time? Why shouldn’t I let everyone know how happy I am?”

“You just saw us on Thanksgiving at the Ackles’.”

“Yeah, ages ago!” Sherri goggled up at her son, even as her hands moved on to straightening his shirt, mumbling about how skinny he’d gotten.

Jared rolled his eyes until he caught the barely contained mirth in Jensen’s face. “Go ahead and laugh, Ackles. You know you’re next.”

Jensen’s eyes flared wide as Sherri took that as her cue and moved over to Jensen. Jared laughed as slung an arm over Donna’s shoulders and watched as his flushing mate endured Sherri Padalecki’s ministrations.

“Hey! Are we gonna have Christmas dinner out here or what? What y’all waiting for?” grumbled Gerry Padalecki, who was standing at the open front door of his home, rubbing his arms to keep them warm as scraggly bits of snow began falling.

Laughing, Jensen and Jared helped each others mother into the house, making sure neither woman would slip on the porch steps. Gerry grabbed Jared as he stepped thru the door, lifting his tall, but no longer lanky son off the floor in a big bear hug.

“Daddy!” Jared squeaked. “Can’t… breathe!” His pink knee-high snow boots flashed as he kicked his feet trying to break free.

Alan Ackles reeled his own son in for a less rambunctious but just as loving a hug.  
“You two made it just in time. News is reporting a storm front moving in. Sherry and Gerald already invited your Mama and I to stay here and wait it out.”

“Yeah, that sounds safer. We should all just stay here.”

Gerald and Jared joined them as the mothers left to return to the kitchen, waving off their offers to help.

Jared stepped up to Jensen’s side, pulling him into his arms. For all his size, and how he towered over everybody, Jared was still graceful as he cocked one hip, crossing one leg over the other while leaning into his mate and Alpha.

“You boys manage moving Jared into the apartment okay?” Alan asked. Talking about the apartment Jensen had gotten in his 2nd year in college, in preparation for when Jared finished his required year of dorm living and was able to move off campus and the two could finally, fully live together in their own place.

“Yes sir.”

“How did Chad take it?” Gerry asked, grinning, well aware of how co-dependent his son and his son’s best friend were.

“Oh he’s too stoked about getting his own place to really care. He hasn’t even found a place yet, but he’s already calling it the Chad Pad.”

Jensen glanced around the long, mahogany paneled main hall of the Padalecki mansion. He remembered the first time he had come over for dinner with Jared’s parents and how intimidated and uncomfortable he’d been by the obvious wealth.

But within fifteen minutes into the meal, Jensen learned how down-to-earth, warm and loving Jared’s parents were. He really should’ve known better, considering how wonderful Jensen thought Jared was.

“Dinner’s ready, boys! Come n’ get it!” Donna called from the adjacent formal dining room. 

Everybody scrambled to take their seats, each going where Sherri directed them, to where, it ended up being Sherri and Gerald sitting at either end of the heavy, wide wooden table. Alan and Donna sitting on one side, Jared and Jensen on the other.

After joining hands for a word of thanks to Luna, everyone dug into the many dishes that loaded down the table. On a metal trolley to the side of Gerald’s seat sat a large, beautifully baked ham studded with pineapple slices, bright red cherries and cloves. Gerald began cutting generous slices from it, passing them down the table on small plates set to the side on the trolley, until everyone had got a few slices each.

After much passing and complimenting of the food offered and eaten, the women went back to the kitchen and returned with another trolley loaded down w/ small plates. Each plate holding a large slice of apple pie ala mode. Jensen’s eyes lit up as he sat up in his seat. Jared locked eyes with Donna, sharing a laugh as they watched Jensen eagerly grab for his own plate wasting no time in digging in and bringing a forkful to his mouth. The Alpha moaning, closing his eyes in pleasure as he chewed.

“Mama…” he mumbled through his full mouth. “You baked this, didn’t you?”

“You never could be fooled, baby. Yes, I made the pie.”

Donna and everyone else at the table laughed as Jensen devolved into a humming, mumbling mess as he continued savoring his pie. Jared, unable to resist, forked up a portion of his own pie and brought it to Jensen’s mouth, watching intently as plush lips wrapped around his fork, hooded green gaze twinkling promises back at him.

“So damn adorable, you two.” Sherri chirped. She then rose from her seat and stepped to a sideboard they’d been using to deposit their used dishes; out of the way and to be cleared and cleaned later.

From a small drawer, she removed a long envelope that had the look and color of an official Hunt Council missive. The paper a mottled, pale beige parchment-like quality.

She handed it off to Gerald, who cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

“Someone else was supposed to be here to talk about this with you two, but I guess he couldn’t make it. This came in the mail the other day. It’s for you both Jared and Jensen, I hope you don’t mind us opening it? We were so excited and curious.”

Jared and Jensen both assured him it was fine. “No, that’s fine, Daddy. What did it say?” Jared asked.

“It says…” came a new voice at the entrance of the dining room, making everyone swivel in their seats to see who it was. “You have been chosen to represent the Midlands in the North American Hunt Championships.”

“Head Alpha Draven!” Jensen exclaimed, even as both beta mothers and Jared bowed and presented their necks in signs of respectful submission; Jensen and the fathers, bowing and dropping their gazes in respect but not submitting.

“Sorry I’m late. The weather is getting pretty bad and I nearly turned back a couple times.”

“Oh my goodness, no. There is no need for apologies. You shouldn’t have risked your safety driving in this weather. You DID say that if you could make it, you would, and here you are. You made it. You must also stay with us to wait out the storm, we have ample room.” Sherri said, as she straightened up and walked around the table to greet the Grand Alpha properly even as her husband, then Alan and Jensen were shaking his hand. As Donna walked around the table as well, Sherri stepped away to direct the maid who’d let Draven in, to prepare a room for him as well.

Even if the Padalecki mansion had servants and a chef, they weren’t obvious and the Padaleckis didn’t call on them for every single thing, preferring to do most things themselves. Like the dinner they’d just had, most of the main courses made by their chef. But a few family favorites and the ham had been made by Sherri. So the servants had learned over the years to be unobtrusive yet be on hand if needed.

When Draven took Donna’s and then Jared’s hand in greeting, he paused, one brow rising as he turned his full golden hued gaze on the suddenly nervous Omega. “Still finding ways to surprise me, pretty one?” he drawled, turning up the charm. Jared couldn’t help but respond. Preening slightly.

Jared blinked, regaining his senses, when he felt Jensen’s arm wrapping around his waist and pulling him up against his chest. He could feel the low rumble of a warning growl deep in Jensen’s chest, as he stared steadily, yet not disrespectfully, up at the taller Head Alpha.

Draven laughed delightedly. “Don’t worry, young one. Your mate is just so easy to appreciate. But I know even I wouldn’t hold a candle for his affections when he has you. I know a true mating when I see it.”

“Please… Grand Alpha. Have a seat.” She gestured to the chair brought in, almost unnoticed by a servant, to sit beside Alan’s chair. “There is still plenty of food and you must be starved, having driven all this way.”

“Oh, I couldn’t take the head of the table in another Alpha’s home. I’ll be fine right here.” Draven said, as he moved his chair over next to Donna’s.

“Food smells wonderful and I would relish some warmth in my middle. But first, let’s get this Hunt business out of the way.”

Everyone took their seats, their attention all on the Head Alpha, who’d paused to coo in appreciation as a hot cup of coffee was placed in front of him. Cream and sugar passed his way by Gerald. Jared watched in amusement as the large man poured nearly half the sugar bowl in his cup while only adding a dollop of cream. After a couple of appreciative sips, he dabbed at his upper lip with a napkin and then turned his attention on Jared and Jensen, sitting across from him.

“Okay, here’s the skinny, I came here to today to explain all this in person, and to also get your answer for myself.” he said, matter-of-factly. “When the yearly topic of which team would go on to represent the Midlands in the NorthAm Hunt came up again, I lobbied long and hard for you two.”

Jared and Jensen blinked in surprise, looking at each other, then back at the Grand Alpha.

“Yes, yes I know…” Draven waved a dismissive hand at them. “I know there are older, more experienced teams to choose from, and you two may not have had the vast training that others have but there are two very large factors that make you two, Team J2, the best to represent our region.

“Like what?” Alan asked what everyone else, including the unnoticed maid waiting in the corner, was thinking.

“One… by now, the story of how you two came to be a team is widespread, and many find it romantic and inspiring. Stories of many young Weres turning from their fascination with human ways, to go back to the old ways of waiting for or actively pursuing their own true mate.”

Jensen grimaced with discomfort. “I don’t wanna be some spokesman for the Old Ways.”

“Me neither.” Jared added.

“What’s the second reason?” Alan interjected.

“Well actually, since arriving here and greeting you all, there is now also a third reason.”  
Draven said, cryptically. His gaze settling on Jensen, then sliding over to Jared. “Do they know?” he asked.

“No. I wanted to get complete control of it first, and Jensen’s been training me, but then school and the move just all kept us too busy to visit much, the last time we were here, trying to celebrate the holiday with both sets of parents. It just didn’t seem like the right time.”

“Well, how does right now feel?” Draven grinned.

Jensen smirked back, then chuckled. “We were actually planning on telling them today. Showing them, even.”

“Well get on with it then, young ones! I am eager to see this.”

“See what, Jensen?” Donna spoke up, her voice tinged with worry. “What are you going to show us?”

“It’s okay, Mama. It’s nothing bad. We’ll be right back.” Jensen answered, as he followed Jared out of the dining room and into the spacious powder room across the hall. They were walking back into the dining room wearing nothing but their Hunter wraps. Sherri, being as into fashion as her Omega son, reflexively noted that it was their wraps from their first Hunt.

Draven went to stand beside them, holding one hand up as if he were presenting them. “The advantage this team has had in both of the Hunts they won, was having a Lykan on the team.” Draven motioned towards Jensen, who shrugged at the parents, noncommittally. “In the first Hunt, the Lykan saved Jensen from the rapids, and in the second Hunt it stopped that boulder from rolling over Jared. Two occurrences that could’ve ended the Hunt tragically for any other Hunters.”

“HE…” Jared interjected, Draven frowning slightly at him. “Jensen’s Lykan is not an ‘it’. He’s a thinking, caring being like the rest of us. Really sir, you of all people should know better.”

Draven grinned at Jared even as Jensen leaned into his mate to nuzzle his neck. He bit down slightly to show how pleased he was with his Omega; Jared gasped and fought off the urge to melt into his Alpha’s arms and begging for more.

Draven walked casually across the floor ‘til he was standing beside Jared. “I have been spending way too much time with the stuffy shirts in the Hunter’s Council, I’ve fallen atrociously into their bad speech patterns and idioms. Forgive me.”

Jared smiled and nodded at the venerable Head Alpha. All offense forgotten.

Draven then continued his speech. “The effortless way you two worked together at the All-state Hunt was impressive enough. But Jensen and his Lykan is like the cherry on the top. But now we have double the incentive. Two cherries, I guess… aw hell, sorry for the lame food analogy, but you’ll soon get what I’m trying to say.” He turned and nodded at Jared and Jensen, before turning and throwing open the glass doors that led out to the snow-covered patio.

Jensen leaned up against his mate and nuzzled into the side of his neck, inhaling the rich, unmistakable smell of his home, his life, his reason for everything. He kissed the curve of Jared’s strong jaw and then whispered sexily into his ear. “What do you say we go take a howl at that moon, baby?”

With a twisting ripple of shadows and light, Jared and Jensen shifted to their huge Lykan forms in front of both sets of shocked parents.

“J-Jared?” Sherri called out to the smaller Lykan with the sable coat, marked with white socks and a white underbelly.

In this form, Jensen was bigger and taller and he always will be, no matter how much Jared may grow in his other forms. Draven once explained to Jensen that Lykan forms get bigger and stronger the older they get. Jensen was just glad he had at least one form where his Omega wasn’t dwarfing him.

Sherri and Gerald had by then walked cautiously up to Jared. Sherri had both of her hands up, fingers covering her mouth as her wide eyes drank in her son’s new form.

Jensen’s parents watched them carefully, wary for any signs of rejection. Not many people could handle their loved one being Lykan.

To everyone’s amusement, except for Jared, Sherri reacted as they all should’ve known she would… in typical Sherri fashion. “OH MY GAWWD! YOU ARE SOOOO CUTE!”

Jared stood there helpless, as his mother tweaked his ears, pinched his nose and rubbed vigorously between his ears as if petting a dog.

“I take it this happened at your mating? When you bit him?” Donna asked drily, as she watched her son struggle to keep from laughing as he watched his mate getting mauled by his own mother.

“Uh yeah. Sorry we didn’t tell you guys sooner, but Jared wanted to get control first and then surprise you all at one time. We really were gonna come clean today.” Jensen finished with a choked gurgle, as Sherri opened Jared’s mouth to poke at his newer, larger fangs for a couple of seconds before letting his jaw go and moving on.

Jared whined and turned to Jensen for help, only to find his mate plopping back onto his haunches, chuffing erratically; the Lykan and Wolf version of laughter.

When Jared’s tiny mother wrapped her arms as far as she could around his waist and began swaying him back and forth, muttering words like ‘sweetums’ and ‘angel baby’, Jensen totally lost it, thin howls now mixed in with his chuffs, one back leg thumping into the floor. Everyone else, giving in to the hilarious sight of a full grown Lykan rolling in mirth on the floor, they were all soon laughing hard enough to bring tears to their eyes.

“Don’t mind them honey. They’re just jealous ‘cos of how beautiful you are.” Jared’s inner human smiled at his mother’s excuse for every time in his life anyone was rude or mean to him. She was a wonderful, protective and loving mother – and Jared was willing to put up with any form of embarrassment to keep her happy.

“Here.” Sherri continued, stepping over to the table she snatched up the two large, warm apple turnovers that had been set at Draven’s spot. Draven emitting a soft whimper at the loss of his tasty treats.

Sherri ignored the Head Alpha as she continued talking to her son. “You and your silly Alpha go run off some of that Lykan energy and then get back here so we can finish talking things over. Here’s something warm for your tummies. Don’t stay out too long, you hear?”

Jared’s Lykan nodded adoringly at the tiny woman. Crouching, Jared stepped out onto the terrace, stooping slightly to peer back in at Jensen who was just rising back to his feet, his laughter finally dying down.

The moment their eyes locked, Jared allowed the heat of his desire for his mate to enter his gaze; making his eyes shine with a subtle golden glow. Jensen’s answering green glow was answer enough for Jared. He then turned and walking upright, walked off into the blustery storm. The moon above lighting up the clouds and the snow and ice with an otherworldly, yet beautiful light that their Were sight could easily see by.

All laughter in Jensen’s Lykan died as he received the blatant invitation from Jared. His intent gaze latching onto and tracing the graceful curve of Jared’s waist and hips as his beautiful mate walked out into the flickering shadows of the night.

Jared paused at the low, stone wall that enclosed the terrace and scarfed one of the pastries down. He then placed the second one on the wide stone top, hopped up onto all fours atop the wall, jumped off onto the grass beyond and began running.

Jensen left the warm dining room on all fours, snatching up the pastry as he cleared the wall and then set off after his mate. He knew he’d have to work hard to get more than an apple pastry from Jared, and his Lykan would make damned sure he succeeded.

The parents and Draven watched as the two massive Lykans easily traversed halfway across the half acre expanse of the Padalecki’s ‘back yard’. Jensen had easily caught up to Jared, but was having trouble keeping hold of him, the tawny, lean Lykan being faster and more agile than his bigger black-furred mate.

The parents gasped in shock as Jared leaped completely over the 12-ft. high wall that closed in the back of the property, with Jensen following just as easily; the two disappearing into the woodlands beyond.

Grinning excitedly, Draven clapped his massive hands together once, making the Padaleckis and the Ackles jump in surprise at the sudden loud noise.

“We are SO gonna win the NorthAm Hunt!” he said, gleefully, before turning to head back toward his seat at the table. “I say, Mrs. Padalecki, there IS more of those turnover thingies, right?”

Laughter rang out as the doors were closed, but left unlocked for Jared and Jensen’s return.

Out in the dark, wet woods; lit by the watery full moon riding high in the sky – two joyful howls rang out. The rich vibrant tones rose into the air, seeming to dance together and then melding and blending into one eerie, soulful voice. 

 

**  
**_The End._  


 

  



End file.
